ASHMEAD DESIGNS LTD.
💤Zombieactive
03154054 · ltd · incorporated 1996-02-01
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
£314
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 47510
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 47910Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 68-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 68). 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).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (76/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
9 officers (1 active, 9 linked, 6 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
90 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
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
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)Positive net assets
Net assets £314
Net assets shrinking
Down £414 YoY
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£314
↓ 57% YoY
Current Assets
£5k
↓ 57% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £2.5k | £1.7k |
| Current assets | £5.3k | £12.3k |
| Net assets | £314 | £728 |
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-14➖ARGENT, Colin Edwin William resignedsecretary
- 2025-02-14📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-08📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-02-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-02-08📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-02-08📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-09-19➖ARGENT, Colin Edwin William resigneddirector
- 2023-09-19📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-09-19📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-09-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-09-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-09-15📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-06-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-24➕ARGENT, Susan Diane appointeddirector
- 2020-11-24📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2011-06-15➖ARGENT, Patricia Emily resigneddirector
- 2009-06-15➕ARGENT, Patricia Emily appointeddirector
- 2009-01-13➖ARGENT, Patricia Emily resigneddirector
- 2002-03-25➖GRIFFITHS, Martin Charles resigneddirector
- 2002-03-25➖GRIFFITHS, Nina Elizabeth resigneddirector
- 1997-11-01➕GRIFFITHS, Martin Charles appointeddirector
- 1997-11-01➕GRIFFITHS, Nina Elizabeth appointeddirector
- 1996-02-13➕ARGENT, Colin Edwin William appointedsecretary
- 1996-02-13➕ARGENT, Colin Edwin William appointeddirector
- 1996-02-13➕ARGENT, Patricia Emily appointeddirector
- 1996-02-05➖YOUNGER, Miriam resignednominee-secretary
- 1996-02-05➖YOUNGER, Norman resignednominee-director
- 1996-02-01🏢Company incorporatedAs ASHMEAD DESIGNS LTD.
- 1996-02-01➕YOUNGER, Miriam appointednominee-secretary
- 1996-02-01➕YOUNGER, Norman appointednominee-director
Owner dependency
90/100
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.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 30 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.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Susan Diane Argent Individual · English · DOB 11/1958 · age 68 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 19/09/2023 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Susan Diane Argentceased 18/09/2023· 75-100% shares
- Mrs Susan Diane Argentceased 15/09/2023· 75-100% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Retail · LD postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 247 SURF LIMITED→ 06367342 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| 54TH AVENUE LTD→ 14807164 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AETHELFLAED DESIGN LTD→ 08468903 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| APL(UK) LTD→ 14324169 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ARCTIC 8 LIMITED→ 17012169 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARDENT GALLERIES LIMITED→ 06885417 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| BAY ART LTD→ 09288367 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| BEACONS CRAFTS LTD→ 03199638 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| BEVANS CARPETS & FLOORING LTD→ 13976033 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BEXNUL LIMITED→ 16552182 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BLAIDD DRWG LIMITED→ 16715506 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BLANK PAGE CREATIVE LTD→ 15914249 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1996-02-01
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC47510 — SIC 47510
Registered office
Mayo House
Llangammarch Wells
Llangammarch Wells
LD4 4EF
Wales
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-19
Last: 2026-02-05
Officers (1 active · 8 resigned)
ARGENT, Susan Diane→
Activedirector · ~68y · appointed 2020-11-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ARGENT, Colin Edwin William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-02-13 · resigned 2025-02-14
YOUNGER, Miriam→
Resignednominee-secretary · appointed 1996-02-01 · resigned 1996-02-05
ARGENT, Colin Edwin William→
Resigneddirector · ~84y · appointed 1996-02-13 · resigned 2023-09-19
ARGENT, Patricia Emily→
Resigneddirector · ~90y · appointed 2009-06-15 · resigned 2011-06-15
ARGENT, Patricia Emily→
Resigneddirector · ~90y · appointed 1996-02-13 · resigned 2009-01-13
GRIFFITHS, Martin Charles→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 1997-11-01 · resigned 2002-03-25
GRIFFITHS, Nina Elizabeth→
Resigneddirector · appointed 1997-11-01 · resigned 2002-03-25
YOUNGER, Norman→
Resignednominee-director · ~59y · appointed 1996-02-01 · resigned 1996-02-05
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (90 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-12-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-14
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2025-02-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-12-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-09
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-02-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-02-08
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-02-08
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-02-08
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-09-19
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-09-19
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-09-15
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-09-15
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-09-15