BROWN & FORTH LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00937366 · ltd · incorporated 1968-08-16
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 Apr 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46750
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 46900Non-specialised wholesale trade
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 45.4y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 45.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 2 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
12 officers (2 active, 12 linked, 6 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
121 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
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
55
Some acquirability indicators.
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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-04-30 | 2024-04-30 |
|---|
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (50 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-24📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-01-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-05📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-07-05📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-07-05📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-07-04📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-06-16📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2022-06-16📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-06-16📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2022-06-16📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-06-15➕BENNETT, Jack appointedsecretary
- 2022-06-15➕BENNETT, Jack Alexander Michael appointeddirector
- 2022-06-15➖BENNETT, Michael John Russell resignedsecretary
- 2022-06-15➕BENNETT, Jack Alexander Michael appointeddirector
- 2022-06-15➖BENNETT, Jack Alexander Michael resigneddirector
- 2022-06-15➖BENNETT, Michael resigneddirector
- 2022-01-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-24📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2019-01-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-19🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2018-12-19🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2018-12-19🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2018-04-18➕BENNETT, Michael John Russell appointedsecretary
- 2018-04-18➖NEWTON, Laura resignedsecretary
- 2012-10-31➖BENNETT, Wendy Helena resignedsecretary
- 2012-10-31➕NEWTON, Laura appointedsecretary
- 2012-10-31➖BENNETT, Wendy Helena resigneddirector
- 2011-04-19➕BENNETT, Wendy Helena appointeddirector
- 2000-06-28➖BENNETT, Michael John Russell resignedsecretary
- 2000-06-28➕BENNETT, Wendy Helena appointedsecretary
- 1999-11-12🔒Charge registered #6Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1999-05-12🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 1999-05-02➖BENNETT, Wendy Helena resigneddirector
- 1999-05-01➕BENNETT, Michael appointeddirector
- 1998-09-28🔒Charge registered #5Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1998-09-08🔒Charge registered #4Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1996-05-15➕BENNETT, Michael John Russell appointedsecretary
- 1996-05-15➖COTTON, Pamela Mavis resignedsecretary
- 1995-08-31🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 1995-08-31🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1995-07-19🔒Charge registered #3Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 1993-06-30➖MAUGHAN, Alfred resigneddirector
- 1981-05-26🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Mercantile Credit Company Limited
- 1981-01-16🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1968-08-16🏢Company incorporatedAs BROWN & FORTH LIMITED
Owner dependency
75/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
55/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 58 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
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael John Russell Bennett Individual · British · DOB 02/1966 · age 60 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 15/06/2022 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Bip Chemical Holdings Limitedceased 15/06/2022· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · significant influence
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 →Similar companies
Active · Wholesale & distribution · WA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLOOMFIELD FASHIONS LTD→ 15339612 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BLUSH HEALTHCARE LTD→ 14547954 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BOGSO LTD→ 15184487 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BOILER-M8 LIMITED→ 11849317 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BORREGAARD UK LTD→ 01141222 · est 1973 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 52y | — | — |
| BRAND EVANGELISTS FOR BEAUTY LIMITED→ 10787576 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BRANDHAUS TRADING LIMITED→ 14550777 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BRAVO TD LIMITED→ 16348146 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BUILD EVERYTHING LTD→ 14175247 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BULLDOG COFFEE COMPANY LTD→ 16528654 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BULLDOG INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS LIMITED→ 02806630 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 33y | — | — |
| BUY&BUILD LTD→ 16621504 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated1968-08-16
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46750 — SIC 46750
Registered office
8 Winmarleigh Street
Warrington
Cheshire
WA1 1JW
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-07-14
Last: 2025-06-30
Officers (2 active · 10 resigned)
Active
BENNETT, Jack Alexander Michael→
Activedirector · ~34y · appointed 2022-06-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BENNETT, Michael John Russell→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2018-04-18 · resigned 2022-06-15
BENNETT, Michael John Russell→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-05-15 · resigned 2000-06-28
BENNETT, Wendy Helena→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-06-28 · resigned 2012-10-31
COTTON, Pamela Mavis→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1996-05-15
NEWTON, Laura→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2012-10-31 · resigned 2018-04-18
BENNETT, Jack Alexander Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~34y · appointed 2022-06-15 · resigned 2022-06-15
BENNETT, Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 1999-05-01 · resigned 2022-06-15
BENNETT, Wendy Helena→
Resigneddirector · ~91y · appointed 2011-04-19 · resigned 2012-10-31
BENNETT, Wendy Helena→
Resigneddirector · ~91y · resigned 1999-05-02
MAUGHAN, Alfred→
Resigneddirector · ~103y · resigned 1993-06-30
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 | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 12/11/1999 | 19/12/2018 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 28/09/1998 | 19/12/2018 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 08/09/1998 | 19/12/2018 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 19/07/1995 | 12/05/1999 | |
| satisfied | Mercantile Credit Company Mercantile Credit Company Limited | Mortgage | 1 property | 26/05/1981 | 31/08/1995 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 16/01/1981 | 31/08/1995 |
Recent filings (121 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-08
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-02-15
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-22
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-05-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-01-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-07-05
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2022-07-05
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-07-05
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-07-05
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-07-04
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2022-06-16
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-06-16