BETA VALVE SYSTEMS LTD
💤Zombieactive
01740537 · ltd · incorporated 1983-07-19
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 Jul 2025
Net worth
£300.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Agents specialised in the sale of other particular products
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: asset-holding vehicle with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 37.4y
45/100
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.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · 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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (1 active, 9 linked, 6 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
116 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
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Positive net assets
Net assets £300,646
Cash YoY
-3%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£908k
↓ 3.2% YoY
Net Worth
£301k
↑ 60% YoY
Current Assets
£1.5m
↑ 17% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £300.6k | £188.4k |
| Current assets | £1.47M | £1.26M |
| Cash | £908.3k | £938.0k |
| Debtors | £393.5k | £231.1k |
| Net assets | £300.6k | £188.4k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal 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
4
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 officers
Last 90 days
6
filings
- • 3 persons-with-significant-control
- • 2 officers
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
7
filings
- • 3 persons-with-significant-control
- • 2 officers
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2026-07-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-07-08📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2026-07-03📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-07-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2026-07-01📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-22📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-08-22📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2023-08-21📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-04-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-08📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-06-30➖HEWITT, John Alfred resigneddirector
- 2022-06-16📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-06-15➕CLIFFORD, Richard Oliver appointeddirector
- 2021-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-06-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-01➖SPARROWHAWK, Ian Edwin resignedsecretary
- 2017-06-01➕HEWITT, John Alfred appointeddirector
- 2017-06-01➖SPARROWHAWK, Ian Edwin resigneddirector
- 2013-01-10🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2010-02-13➖ALLEN, Anne resignedsecretary
- 2010-02-13➕SPARROWHAWK, Ian Edwin appointedsecretary
- 2008-05-16➕ALLEN, Anne appointedsecretary
- 2008-05-16➖SPARROWHAWK, Frances Gay resignedsecretary
- 2003-12-31➖SPARROWHAWK, Frances Gay resigneddirector
- 1999-12-16➖SWEET, Steven Andrew resigneddirector
- 1996-08-01➕SWEET, Steven Andrew appointeddirector
- 1996-04-30➖DUTTON, Ronald Leslie resigneddirector
- 1989-03-09🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1983-07-19🏢Company incorporatedAs BETA VALVE SYSTEMS LTD
Owner dependency
83/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
65/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 43 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Beta Valve Employee Trustee Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Beta Valve Employee Trustee Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
BETA VALVE SYSTEMS LTD
This company · 01740537
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Beta Valve Employee Trustee Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 21/08/2023 |
Mr Richard Oliver Clifford Individual · English · DOB 08/1967 · age 59 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 21/08/2023 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr John Alfred Hewittceased 21/08/2023· significant influence
- Mr Ian Edwin Sparrowhawkceased 30/04/2018· significant influence
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Wholesale & distribution · HP postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPLIED HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS LIMITED→ 12577173 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ASTLES ELECTRICAL WHOLESALERS LTD→ 15117743 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AVINITY LIMITED→ 12834467 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BEBEBOMBOM LIMITED→ 09506424 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| BEC WW LTD→ 15332313 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BERRYMART LTD→ 07395922 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| BESTPRICEWHOLESALE LTD→ 16804120 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BETTER VALUE WHOLESALE LTD→ 17088761 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BETTERTONS UK LIMITED→ 13981431 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BHUMISRINI LTD→ 14658777 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BIBLIO PRODUCTS LIMITED→ 03695752 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
| BIBUS (UK) LTD→ 04084999 · est 2000 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1983-07-19
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46180 — Agents specialised in the sale of other particular products
Registered office
Park House Business Centre
Desborough Park Road
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire
HP12 3DJ
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-04-30
Last made up to: 2025-07-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-07-14
Last: 2026-06-30
Officers (1 active · 8 resigned)
CLIFFORD, Richard Oliver→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2022-06-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ALLEN, Anne→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2008-05-16 · resigned 2010-02-13
SPARROWHAWK, Frances Gay→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2008-05-16
SPARROWHAWK, Ian Edwin→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2010-02-13 · resigned 2017-07-01
DUTTON, Ronald Leslie→
Resigneddirector · ~80y · resigned 1996-04-30
HEWITT, John Alfred→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2017-06-01 · resigned 2022-06-30
SPARROWHAWK, Frances Gay→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · resigned 2003-12-31
SPARROWHAWK, Ian Edwin→
Resigneddirector · ~85y · resigned 2017-06-01
SWEET, Steven Andrew→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 1996-08-01 · resigned 1999-12-16
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 09/03/1989 | 10/01/2013 |
Recent filings (116 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-07-09
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-07-08
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2026-07-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-07-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2026-07-01
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-07-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-11-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-04-21
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-08-22
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2023-08-22
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-08-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-18