BIGNALL GROUP LTD

🌳Matureactive
01249631 · ltd · incorporated 1976-03-17
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Apr 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Repair of machinery
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 82-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 82). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. 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 (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

6 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 46.2y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 46.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: high (82/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

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
12 officers (4 active, 12 linked, 11 with DOB)
88
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
7 connected companies via shared directors
66
Filing history
157 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

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

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
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 accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Apr 2024Apr 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-04-302024-04-30
Average employees34003100

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 (44 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-01-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-01-31
    ➖
    LAND, David resigned
    director
  3. 2025-01-31
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  4. 2025-01-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2024-06-17
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  6. 2024-06-17
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  7. 2024-06-17
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  8. 2024-06-17
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  9. 2024-05-01
    ➕
    COATSWORTH, Mark Alan appointed
    director
  10. 2024-03-21
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  11. 2024-03-20
    ➖
    SAND, Frances Anabel resigned
    director
  12. 2024-01-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2023-12-18
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  14. 2023-12-18
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  15. 2023-12-07
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  16. 2023-12-07
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  17. 2023-01-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2022-02-07
    📄
    mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number
    mortgage · MR05
  19. 2022-01-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  20. 2021-04-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2020-02-20
    📄
    capital-cancellation-shares
    capital · SH06
  22. 2020-02-17
    📄
    capital-return-purchase-own-shares
    capital · SH03
  23. 2020-01-10
    ➖
    HIGGINBOTTOM, Paul resigned
    director
  24. 2018-12-20
    ➕
    LAND, David appointed
    director
  25. 2018-07-01
    ➕
    HIGGINBOTTOM, Paul appointed
    director
  26. 2009-05-01
    ➕
    SAND, Frances Anabel appointed
    director
  27. 2007-07-19
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  28. 2007-07-19
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  29. 2007-07-19
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  30. 2007-02-16
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  31. 2002-04-30
    ➖
    BIGNALL, Wendy resigned
    director
  32. 2000-10-25
    ➖
    HARVEY, Christopher Roy resigned
    director
  33. 1998-12-01
    ➕
    HARVEY, Christopher Roy appointed
    director
  34. 1998-05-01
    ➕
    BIGNALL, Oliver Charles appointed
    director
  35. 1998-04-30
    ➖
    DURHAM, Robert resigned
    director
  36. 1997-09-30
    ➖
    BEAVERSTOCK, Ian Malcolm resigned
    director
  37. 1996-07-01
    ➖
    WADSWORTH, Philip resigned
    director
  38. 1995-08-02
    ➕
    DURHAM, Robert appointed
    director
  39. 1983-09-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  40. 1983-06-01
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: William & Glyn's Bank PLC
  41. 1982-02-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Williams & Glyn's Bank LTD
  42. 1980-05-16
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  43. 1980-05-16
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  44. 1976-03-17
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As BIGNALL GROUP LTD

Owner dependency

98/100
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 "BIGNALL" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 28 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 82 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

80/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 82 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 28 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

1 med ·
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.

Group structure

Butler House (North East) Ltd is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Butler House (North East) Ltd
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
BIGNALL GROUP LTD
This company · 01249631

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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Butler House (North East) Ltd
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%sig. influence75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · significant influence · firm interest28/09/2020
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr John Roger Bignallceased 28/09/2020· 25-50% voting
  • Mr Oliver Charles Bignallceased 28/09/2020· 25-50% voting

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

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
Incorporated1976-03-17
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC33120 — Repair of machinery

Registered office

Butler House
Haughton Green
Darlington
Co. Durham
DL1 2DD

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-19
Last: 2025-12-05

Officers (4 active · 8 resigned)

BIGNALL, John Roger→
secretary
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BIGNALL, John Roger→
director · ~82y
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BIGNALL, Oliver Charles→
director · ~56y · appointed 1998-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COATSWORTH, Mark Alan→
director · ~36y · appointed 2024-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BEAVERSTOCK, Ian Malcolm→
director · ~61y · resigned 1997-09-30
Resigned
BIGNALL, Wendy→
director · ~81y · resigned 2002-04-30
Resigned
DURHAM, Robert→
director · ~87y · appointed 1995-08-02 · resigned 1998-04-30
Resigned
HARVEY, Christopher Roy→
director · ~80y · appointed 1998-12-01 · resigned 2000-10-25
Resigned
HIGGINBOTTOM, Paul→
director · ~68y · appointed 2018-07-01 · resigned 2020-01-10
Resigned
LAND, David→
director · ~72y · appointed 2018-12-20 · resigned 2025-01-31
Resigned
SAND, Frances Anabel→
director · ~53y · appointed 2009-05-01 · resigned 2024-03-20
Resigned
WADSWORTH, Philip→
director · ~84y · resigned 1996-07-01
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

6
Total charges
3
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Debenture1 property16/02/2007—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Single debenture1 property05/09/198319/07/2007
satisfied
William & Glyn's Bank
William & Glyn's Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property01/06/198319/07/2007
satisfied
Williams & Glyn's Bank
Williams & Glyn's Bank LTD
Legal charge1 property17/02/198219/07/2007
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property16/05/1980—
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property16/05/1980—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (157 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-13
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-01-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-05
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-06-17
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-06-17
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2024-06-17
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-06-17
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-03-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-31
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-12-18
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-12-18
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-12-07
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-12-07