CLARES OFFICE SUPPLIES LIMITED
Opportunity 62/100 (worth a look), bankability 57/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. 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
10 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 48.8y
Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 48.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 48/100 (high).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (61/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Recent activity
Corporate timeline (59 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-12-02➖WHITTAL, Richard Marcus resigneddirector
- 2025-12-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduaryaccounts · AA
- 2025-12-02📄legacyaccounts · PARENT_ACC
- 2025-12-02📄legacyother · GUARANTEE2
- 2025-12-02📄legacyother · AGREEMENT2
- 2025-12-02📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-11-27➖CLARE, Dawn resignedsecretary
- 2025-11-27➖HARPER-WILDE, Tammy resigneddirector
- 2025-11-27📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2025-11-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduaryaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-14📄legacyaccounts · PARENT_ACC
- 2024-11-14📄legacyother · AGREEMENT2
- 2024-11-14📄legacyother · GUARANTEE2
- 2023-09-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduaryaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-07📄legacyaccounts · PARENT_ACC
- 2023-08-22📄legacyother · GUARANTEE2
- 2023-08-22📄legacyother · AGREEMENT2
- 2023-06-21📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-06-20📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2023-03-31📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2023-03-20📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2023-03-20⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2022-10-06🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Lloyds Bank Commerciial Finance LTD
- 2022-10-03🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2022-05-18➖COTTON, Janet Ann resigneddirector
- 2022-04-01➕WESTON, Nicholas James appointeddirector
- 2022-04-01➕WHITTAL, Richard Marcus appointeddirector
- 2022-04-01➕WHITTAL, Richard Marcus appointeddirector
- 2020-08-20🔒Charge registered #9Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2020-05-01➕HARPER-WILDE, Tammy appointeddirector
- 2019-01-29🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD
- 2018-08-21➕CLARE, Dawn appointedsecretary
- 2018-08-21➖COTTON, Janet Ann resignedsecretary
- 2009-07-25🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2008-03-29🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2008-03-29🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2007-12-21➖CLARE, David Stewart resigneddirector
- 2007-06-29➕COTTON, Janet Ann appointedsecretary
- 2007-05-11➖CLARE, David Stewart resignedsecretary
- 2003-10-07🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2003-03-13➕CLARE, David Stewart appointedsecretary
- 2003-03-12➖CLARE, Janice Mary resignedsecretary
- 2003-03-12➖CLARE, Brian George resigneddirector
- 2003-03-12➖CLARE, Janice Mary resigneddirector
- 2003-01-29🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2002-05-01➕COTTON, Janet Ann appointeddirector
- 1999-05-18➕CLARE, David Stewart appointeddirector
- 1996-05-23🔓Charge satisfied #4
Owner dependency
Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "CLARE" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 54 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
2 high · 2 med ·Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2026-06-11
Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2023-03-20: legacy
Multiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: CLARE, Dawn resigned 2025-11-27; HARPER-WILDE, Tammy resigned 2025-11-27; WHITTAL, Richard Marcus resigned 2025-12-02
Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
The Business Supplies Group Holdings Ltd is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Business Supplies Group Holdings Ltd Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 01/04/2022 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Clares Business Solutions Ltdceased 31/03/2022· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
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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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (3 active · 10 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank Commerciial Finance LTD | A registered charge | — | 06/10/2022 | — | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 20/08/2020 | 03/10/2022 | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD | A registered charge | — | 29/01/2019 | — | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 29/01/2003 | 25/07/2009 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 17/08/1994 | 07/10/2003 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 03/03/1992 | 29/03/2008 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Charge on book debts | 1 property | 27/01/1988 | 23/05/1996 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 16/11/1987 | 17/05/1995 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 16/02/1981 | 29/03/2008 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 26/08/1977 | 23/05/1996 |