B.B. GROUT LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
00881044 · ltd · incorporated 1966-06-08
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
Upgrade to see
Turnover
not disclosed
Net worth
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Manufacture of bread; manufacture of fresh pastry goods and cakes
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.

Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 5 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (45/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

15 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 39.8y

25/100
too messy

Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 39.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 50/100 (high).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (57/100)

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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
15 charges (15/15 with lender, 15/15 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (4 active, 9 linked, 7 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
131 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
73/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
66
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
1
filing
  • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
2
filings
  • 1 confirmation-statement
  • 1 officers
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • 1 confirmation-statement
  • 1 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (47 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-03-12
    GROUT, Sheila Betty resigned
    director
  2. 2026-03-12
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  3. 2025-08-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2025-05-30
    SOUTHWICK, Claire appointed
    secretary
  5. 2025-05-30
    GROUT, Sheila Betty resigned
    secretary
  6. 2025-05-30
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  7. 2025-05-30
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  8. 2024-07-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2024-05-21
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  10. 2024-05-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #15
    Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
  11. 2023-07-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2022-10-18
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  13. 2022-08-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2022-04-07
    📄
    accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AAMD
  15. 2021-09-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2021-02-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2019-10-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2019-09-03
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  19. 2019-09-03
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  20. 2019-09-03
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  21. 2019-09-03
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  22. 2019-09-03
    📄
    change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH03
  23. 2012-03-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #14
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  24. 2012-03-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #13
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  25. 2012-02-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #12
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  26. 2010-06-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #9
  27. 2010-06-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #8
  28. 2010-06-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  29. 2010-04-23
    🔒
    Charge registered #11
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  30. 2007-04-25
    GROUT, Noel Maitland resigned
    director
  31. 2006-09-15
    🔒
    Charge registered #10
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  32. 2004-08-24
    SOUTHWICK, Claire Emma appointed
    director
  33. 2002-12-18
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  34. 2000-05-03
    🔒
    Charge registered #9
    Lender: Allied Mills Limited
  35. 2000-01-31
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  36. 1997-07-27
    GROUT, Giles Leon appointed
    director
  37. 1997-07-24
    GROUT, Neal Michael appointed
    director
  38. 1996-07-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  39. 1996-04-18
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  40. 1996-01-03
    GROUT, Bertram Bowtell resigned
    director
  41. 1995-12-31
    GROUT, Lillian May resigned
    director
  42. 1995-06-23
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  43. 1994-06-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  44. 1991-10-11
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Eagle Star Life Assurance Company Limited
  45. 1990-06-26
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Eagle Star Insurance Company Limited
  46. 1986-07-18
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  47. 1966-06-08
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As B.B. GROUT 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
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "GROUT" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

60/100
Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 29 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

2 med · 1 low
2 director resignations in last 12 months
medium

Multiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.

Evidence: GROUT, Sheila Betty resigned 2025-05-30; GROUT, Sheila Betty resigned 2026-03-12

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

11 live charges
low

Heavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mrs Sheila Grout
Individual · British · DOB 12/1942 · age 84
75100%
75–100%board controlsig. influence75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · significant influence · firm interest06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

🔒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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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

7 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
Incorporated1966-06-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC10710 — Manufacture of bread; manufacture of fresh pastry goods and cakes

Registered office

80 Furtherwick Road
Canvey Island
Essex
SS8 7AJ

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-05
Last made up to: 2025-04-05
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-29
Last: 2026-05-15

Officers (4 active · 5 resigned)

SOUTHWICK, Claire
secretary · appointed 2025-05-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GROUT, Giles Leon
director · ~52y · appointed 1997-07-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GROUT, Neal Michael
director · ~55y · appointed 1997-07-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SOUTHWICK, Claire Emma
director · ~59y · appointed 2004-08-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GROUT, Sheila Betty
secretary · resigned 2025-05-30
Resigned
GROUT, Bertram Bowtell
director · ~116y · resigned 1996-01-03
Resigned
GROUT, Lillian May
director · ~114y · resigned 1995-12-31
Resigned
GROUT, Noel Maitland
director · ~89y · resigned 2007-04-25
Resigned
GROUT, Sheila Betty
director · ~84y · resigned 2026-03-12
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

15
Total charges
11
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:15 of 15 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Security Trustee Limited
A registered charge20/05/2024
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property21/03/2012
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property21/03/2012
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Debenture1 property24/02/2012
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property23/04/2010
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property15/09/2006
satisfied
Allied Mills
Allied Mills Limited
Chattel mortgage1 property03/05/200003/06/2010
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property31/01/200003/06/2010
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property09/07/1996
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property18/04/1996
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property23/06/1995
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property28/06/1994
satisfied
Eagle Star Life Assurance Company
Eagle Star Life Assurance Company Limited
Mortgage deed1 property11/10/199118/12/2002
satisfied
Eagle Star Insurance Company
Eagle Star Insurance Company Limited
Mortgage debenture1 property26/06/199003/06/2010
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property18/07/1986
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (131 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-15
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-03-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-05
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2025-05-30
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2025-05-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-31
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-05-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-17
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2022-10-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-08-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-18
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2022-04-07