ALEXANDER HADLEIGH WINE MERCHANTS AND IMPORTERS LIMITED

🚨Distressedactive
01866487 · ltd · incorporated 1984-11-26
Investment thesis
Distressed but structurally messy — likely a value trap without major surgery.
Why interesting: Headline may look cheap; sector may be recovering.
Why risky: Critical deal-killers in ownership or security; closing cost and post-deal clean-up likely to dominate.
🔒Estimated value
Upgrade to see
Turnover
year to Apr 2025
Net worth
£-22.7k
book net assets
Opportunity
65/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46342
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 47250SIC 47250
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 65/100 (strong), bankability 52/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 79). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: distressed disposal / insolvency (85/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 40.9y

15/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 40.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · 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, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
3 officers (3 active, 3 linked, 2 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
138 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
65/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

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

Business quality
50
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
51
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102
Negative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £22,659
Net assets shrinking
Down £44,047 YoY
Cash YoY
-35%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£2k
↓ 35% YoY
Net Worth
-£23k
↓ 206% YoY
Current Assets
£148k
↓ 28% YoY
Current Liabilities
-£23k£23k£69k£114k£160k£205kApr 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
Total assets£-22.0k£21.4k
Current assets£148.3k£205.4k
Cash£2.0k£3.1k
Debtors£18.8k£29.5k
Net assets£-22.7k£21.4k

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
1
filing
  • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
3
filings
  • 1 accounts
  • 1 confirmation-statement
  • 1 persons-with-significant-control
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2026-03-02
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  3. 2025-04-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2025-02-17
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  5. 2025-02-17
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  6. 2024-04-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-09-06
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  8. 2023-09-06
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  9. 2023-04-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2023-03-29
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  11. 2023-03-29
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  12. 2023-03-29
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  13. 2023-03-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  14. 2023-03-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  15. 2023-03-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  16. 2023-03-09
    ⚠️
    liquidation-voluntary-arrangement-completion
    insolvency · CVA4
  17. 2022-09-09
    ⚠️
    liquidation-cva-supervisors-abstract-of-receipts-payments-with-brought-down-date
    insolvency · CVA3
  18. 2022-04-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  19. 2021-08-11
    ⚠️
    liquidation-cva-supervisors-abstract-of-receipts-payments-with-brought-down-date
    insolvency · CVA3
  20. 2021-04-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2020-09-25
    ⚠️
    liquidation-cva-supervisors-abstract-of-receipts-payments-with-brought-down-date
    insolvency · CVA3
  22. 2014-11-13
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  23. 2010-10-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Aldermore Invoice Finance a Division of Aldermore Bank PLC
  24. 2006-09-27
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
  25. 1989-03-23
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  26. 1985-07-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  27. 1984-11-26
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ALEXANDER HADLEIGH WINE MERCHANTS AND IMPORTERS LIMITED
  28. 1984-11-26
    DUNNE, David Graham appointed
    director
  29. 1984-11-26
    TAYLOR, Delwyn Lea appointed
    director

Owner dependency

83/100
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
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 42 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 79 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

96/100
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 79 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 42 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 42 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

1 high · 2 med ·
4 insolvency-related filings on record
high

Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.

Evidence: 2023-03-09: liquidation-voluntary-arrangement-completion; 2022-09-09: liquidation-cva-supervisors-abstract-of-receipts-payments-with-brought-down-date

Has insolvency history
medium

Companies House flags prior insolvency events. Review the insolvency filings for context.

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.

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr David Graham Dunne
Individual · British · DOB 11/1947 · age 79
2550%
25–50%board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control06/04/2016
Mrs Delwyn Lea Taylor
Individual · New Zealander · DOB 10/1954 · age 72
2550%
25–50%board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control06/04/2016

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

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

9 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
Incorporated1984-11-26
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46342 — SIC 46342

Registered office

19 Locks Heath Centre Centre Way
Locks Heath
Southampton
Hampshire
SO31 6DX

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-02
Last: 2026-02-16

Officers (3 active · 0 resigned)

TAYLOR, Delwyn Lea
secretary
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DUNNE, David Graham
director · ~79y · appointed 1984-11-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
TAYLOR, Delwyn Lea
director · ~72y · appointed 1984-11-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Aldermore
Aldermore Invoice Finance a Division of Aldermore Bank PLC
Debenture1 property21/10/201013/11/2014
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
All assets debenture1 property27/09/200629/03/2023
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Mortgage1 property23/03/198929/03/2023
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Debenture1 property17/07/198529/03/2023

Recent filings (138 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-02
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-03-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-04-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-17
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-02-17
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-02-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-04-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-21
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-09-06
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-09-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-27
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-29
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-29
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-29