ALAN WADKINS LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00870458 · ltd · incorporated 1966-02-03
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Retail sale of hardware, paints and glass in specialised stores
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 65). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 37.4y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 37.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (2 active, 5 linked, 3 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
111 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | — | £3.31M |
| Current assets | — | £3.16M |
| Cash | — | £1.25M |
| Debtors | — | £428.1k |
| Net assets | — | £3.29M |
| Average employees | 1100 | — |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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 (34 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-27📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-10-27🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2023-06-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-24📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-09-24📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2020-06-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2020-04-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2020-04-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2020-04-24🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2020-04-24🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2020-04-24🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2020-02-06📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-01-07📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-01-07📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-04-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-04-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2009-01-27🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2008-09-15🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2004-03-23➖WADKINS, Nellie Mona resigneddirector
- 2002-04-11➖WADKINS, Alan resigneddirector
- 2002-02-09🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2002-02-06🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2001-10-09➖WADKINS, Alan resignedsecretary
- 2001-03-20➕WADKINS, Amanda Jane appointedsecretary
- 1998-10-03🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1998-09-16🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1997-12-16🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 1988-12-16🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1966-02-03🏢Company incorporatedAs ALAN WADKINS LIMITED
Owner dependency
100/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "WADKINS" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong 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.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 60 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael Wadkins Individual · British · DOB 08/1961 · age 65 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
Amanda Jane Wadkins Individual · British · DOB 06/1964 · age 62 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 24/09/2020 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Retail · DL postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1817 MSC LTD→ 12975506 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 3DXR LTD→ 16990373 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A&K MASSTORE LTD→ 15193047 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ACM MEDIA LIMITED→ 15580015 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ACTIVE HOME ESSENTIALS LTD→ 15954173 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ADDSOVEM LTD→ 16892357 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AFFLECK AND MOFFAT(DARLINGTON),LIMITED→ 00204157 · est 1925 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 101y | — | — |
| ALBION IRON COMPANY LIMITED→ 13350662 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ALCHEMOLOGY LTD→ 15877943 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALFRESCO LEISURE DIRECT LTD→ 14734923 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALINEFITUK LTD→ 16589112 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALL NATURAL SUPPLIES LIMITED→ 06927204 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1966-02-03
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC47520 — Retail sale of hardware, paints and glass in specialised stores
Registered office
Chesnut
Street
Darlington
County Durham
DL1 1QL
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-11
Last: 2025-09-27
Officers (2 active · 3 resigned)
WADKINS, Amanda Jane→
Activesecretary · appointed 2001-03-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WADKINS, Alan→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2001-10-09
WADKINS, Alan→
Resigneddirector · ~99y · resigned 2002-04-11
WADKINS, Nellie Mona→
Resigneddirector · ~101y · resigned 2004-03-23
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage | 1 property | 27/01/2009 | 27/10/2023 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage deed | 1 property | 15/09/2008 | 24/04/2020 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage deed | 1 property | 06/02/2002 | 24/04/2020 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 16/09/1998 | 24/04/2020 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 16/12/1997 | 09/02/2002 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 16/12/1988 | 03/10/1998 |
Recent filings (111 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-05
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-10-27
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-06-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-09-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-04-20
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-09-28
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2020-09-24
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2020-09-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-06-18