CAPE ARGUS LIMITED

⚰️Wound downdissolved
00697797 · ltd · incorporated 1961-07-10
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 61.7y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
53/100
Worth a look
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate
Sector: Real estate
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed unclear — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 53/100 (worth a look), bankability 60/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 65). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Company dissolved. Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (53/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 61.7y

65/100
clean up first

Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.

  • · Oldest live charge is 61.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: low (51/100)

Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.

Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (3 active, 11 linked, 7 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
112 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
53/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.

Business quality
10
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
49
Multiple red flags — proceed with caution.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (45 events)Click to expand
  1. 2017-07-05
    ⚠️
    gazette-dissolved-liquidation
    gazette · GAZ2
  2. 2017-07-05
    🏁
    Company dissolved
  3. 2017-04-05
    ⚠️
    liquidation-voluntary-members-return-of-final-meeting
    insolvency · 4.71
  4. 2016-04-07
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  5. 2016-03-31
    ⚠️
    liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-receipts-and-payments-with-brought-down-date
    insolvency · 4.68
  6. 2015-03-20
    ⚠️
    liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-receipts-and-payments-with-brought-down-date
    insolvency · 4.68
  7. 2014-01-31
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address
    address · AD01
  8. 2014-01-29
    ⚠️
    liquidation-voluntary-declaration-of-solvency
    insolvency · 4.70
  9. 2014-01-29
    ⚠️
    liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidator
    insolvency · 600
  10. 2014-01-29
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  11. 2013-08-31
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  12. 2013-08-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  13. 2013-08-27
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsary
    gazette · GAZ1
  14. 2013-03-05
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  15. 2012-06-01
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  16. 2012-05-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  17. 2012-03-15
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  18. 2011-05-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  19. 2011-03-02
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  20. 2010-11-24
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  21. 2010-11-24
    📄
    statement-of-companys-objects
    change-of-constitution · CC04
  22. 2010-11-15
    ✏️
    certificate-change-of-name-company
    change-of-name · CERTNM
  23. 2010-11-15
    ✏️
    change-of-name-notice
    change-of-name · CONNOT
  24. 2010-05-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  25. 2010-05-21
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  26. 2010-05-21
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  27. 2009-10-26
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  28. 2009-07-03
    ➖
    HOARE, Susan Elizabeth resigned
    secretary
  29. 2009-06-10
    ➕
    DOBREE, Philip Henry Saumarez appointed
    secretary
  30. 2009-06-10
    ➕
    DOBREE, James appointed
    director
  31. 2009-06-10
    ➕
    DOBREE, Philip Henry Saumarez appointed
    director
  32. 2009-06-10
    ➖
    HOARE, Edward Anthony resigned
    secretary
  33. 2009-06-10
    ➖
    DOBREE, Nicholas John Saumarez resigned
    director
  34. 2009-06-10
    ➖
    HOARE, Susan Elizabeth resigned
    director
  35. 2009-06-10
    ➖
    KAXE, Garry resigned
    director
  36. 2008-07-01
    ➕
    DOBREE, Nicholas John Saumarez appointed
    director
  37. 2008-07-01
    ➕
    KAXE, Garry appointed
    director
  38. 2007-11-02
    ➕
    HOARE, Edward Anthony appointed
    secretary
  39. 2007-11-02
    ➕
    HOARE, Susan Elizabeth appointed
    secretary
  40. 2007-11-02
    ➖
    CADMAN, Saumarez Philip resigned
    director
  41. 2007-11-02
    ➕
    HOARE, Susan Elizabeth appointed
    director
  42. 2007-10-19
    ➖
    DOBREE, Chloe resigned
    secretary
  43. 1993-02-28
    ➖
    DOBREE, Nicholas John Saumarez resigned
    director
  44. 1964-09-29
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Mrs. R. G. Smithwick
  45. 1961-07-10
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As CAPE ARGUS LIMITED

Owner dependency

91/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 17 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

79/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 17 years.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 65 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

2 high ·
Company dissolved
high

Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.

Evidence: Dissolved on 2017-07-05

6 insolvency-related filings on record
high

Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.

Evidence: 2017-07-05: gazette-dissolved-liquidation; 2017-04-05: liquidation-voluntary-members-return-of-final-meeting

🔒Co-director network graph

Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

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🔒Tailored diligence questions

10 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →
🔒Advanced scoring suite

Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

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Company details

Statusdissolved
Typeltd
Incorporated1961-07-10
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC68209 — Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate

Registered office

White Building 1-4 Cumberland Place
Southampton
Hampshire
SO15 2NP

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2012-08-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —

Officers (0 active · 8 resigned)

DOBREE, Philip Henry Saumarez→
secretary · appointed 2009-06-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DOBREE, James→
director · ~65y · appointed 2009-06-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DOBREE, Philip Henry Saumarez→
director · ~62y · appointed 2009-06-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DOBREE, Chloe→
secretary · resigned 2007-10-19
Resigned
HOARE, Edward Anthony→
secretary · appointed 2007-11-02 · resigned 2009-06-10
Resigned
HOARE, Susan Elizabeth→
secretary · appointed 2007-11-02 · resigned 2009-07-03
Resigned
CADMAN, Saumarez Philip→
director · ~110y · resigned 2007-11-02
Resigned
DOBREE, Nicholas John Saumarez→
director · ~96y · appointed 2008-07-01 · resigned 2009-06-10
Resigned
DOBREE, Nicholas John Saumarez→
director · ~96y · resigned 1993-02-28
Resigned
HOARE, Susan Elizabeth→
director · ~70y · appointed 2007-11-02 · resigned 2009-06-10
Resigned
KAXE, Garry→
director · ~69y · appointed 2008-07-01 · resigned 2009-06-10
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Mrs. R. G. Smithwick
Debenture1 property29/09/196426/10/2009

Recent filings (112 total)

gazette-dissolved-liquidation
gazette · GAZ2
2017-07-05
liquidation-voluntary-members-return-of-final-meeting
insolvency · 4.71
2017-04-05
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2016-04-07
liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-receipts-and-payments-with-brought-down-date
insolvency · 4.68
2016-03-31
liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-receipts-and-payments-with-brought-down-date
insolvency · 4.68
2015-03-20
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address
address · AD01
2014-01-31
liquidation-voluntary-declaration-of-solvency
insolvency · 4.70
2014-01-29
liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidator
insolvency · 600
2014-01-29
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2014-01-29
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2013-08-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
accounts · AA
2013-08-29
gazette-notice-compulsary
gazette · GAZ1
2013-08-27
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2013-03-05
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2012-06-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
accounts · AA
2012-05-22