WATCHPLAN LIMITED

⚰️Wound downdissolved
03181167 · ltd · incorporated 1996-04-01
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
63/100
Worth a look
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Non-life insurance
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed unclear — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 63/100 (worth a look), bankability 70/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 72). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Company dissolved. Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (73/100).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (56/100)

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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
8 officers (3 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
4 connected companies via shared directors
57
Filing history
80 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
63/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.

Business quality
30
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.

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 (37 events)Click to expand
  1. 2019-12-31
    📄
    gazette-dissolved-voluntary
    gazette · GAZ2(A)
  2. 2019-12-31
    🏁
    Company dissolved
  3. 2019-10-15
    📄
    gazette-notice-voluntary
    gazette · GAZ1(A)
  4. 2019-10-02
    📄
    dissolution-application-strike-off-company
    dissolution · DS01
  5. 2018-10-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2017-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2016-09-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2016-03-21
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  9. 2015-10-03
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2015-03-02
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  11. 2014-09-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2014-03-03
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  13. 2013-09-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2013-02-27
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  15. 2012-08-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2012-02-09
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  17. 2011-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2011-03-01
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  19. 2010-06-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  20. 2010-02-25
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  21. 2009-12-23
    📄
    change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH03
  22. 2009-12-23
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  23. 2009-12-23
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  24. 2004-10-18
    ➕
    AGAR, Duncan Forrester appointed
    director
  25. 2004-10-18
    ➕
    MACKINTOSH, Charles David Kennedy appointed
    director
  26. 2004-10-18
    ➖
    GIBBS, Roderick Vernon resigned
    director
  27. 2003-08-29
    ➕
    ABRAMS, Jane Helen appointed
    secretary
  28. 2003-08-29
    ➖
    CAUFIELD, Timothy Charles resigned
    secretary
  29. 1996-10-29
    ➕
    CAUFIELD, Timothy Charles appointed
    secretary
  30. 1996-10-29
    ➖
    JONES, Gary Stanley resigned
    secretary
  31. 1996-05-16
    ➖
    ARMOUR, Douglas William resigned
    nominee-secretary
  32. 1996-05-16
    ➕
    JONES, Gary Stanley appointed
    secretary
  33. 1996-05-16
    ➕
    GIBBS, Roderick Vernon appointed
    director
  34. 1996-05-16
    ➖
    VENUS, David Anthony resigned
    nominee-director
  35. 1996-04-01
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As WATCHPLAN LIMITED
  36. 1996-04-01
    ➕
    ARMOUR, Douglas William appointed
    nominee-secretary
  37. 1996-04-01
    ➕
    VENUS, David Anthony appointed
    nominee-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 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 72 — 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 72 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 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 30 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 ·
Company dissolved
high

Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.

Evidence: Dissolved on 2019-12-31

Group structure

Value Retail Plc is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Value Retail Plc
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
WATCHPLAN LIMITED
This company · 03181167

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
Value Retail Plc
Corporate entity
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016

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.

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Company details

Statusdissolved
Typeltd
Incorporated1996-04-01
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC65120 — Non-life insurance

Registered office

Management Suite
Bicester Village 50 Pingle Drive
Bicester
Oxfordshire
OX26 6WD

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2017-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —

Officers (0 active · 5 resigned)

ABRAMS, Jane Helen→
secretary · appointed 2003-08-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
AGAR, Duncan Forrester→
director · ~72y · appointed 2004-10-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MACKINTOSH, Charles David Kennedy→
director · ~66y · appointed 2004-10-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
ARMOUR, Douglas William→
nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-04-01 · resigned 1996-05-16
Resigned
CAUFIELD, Timothy Charles→
secretary · appointed 1996-10-29 · resigned 2003-08-29
Resigned
JONES, Gary Stanley→
secretary · appointed 1996-05-16 · resigned 1996-10-29
Resigned
GIBBS, Roderick Vernon→
director · ~68y · appointed 1996-05-16 · resigned 2004-10-18
Resigned
VENUS, David Anthony→
nominee-director · ~75y · appointed 1996-04-01 · resigned 1996-05-16
Resigned

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

Recent filings (80 total)

gazette-dissolved-voluntary
gazette · GAZ2(A)
2019-12-31
gazette-notice-voluntary
gazette · GAZ1(A)
2019-10-15
dissolution-application-strike-off-company
dissolution · DS01
2019-10-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-02-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2018-10-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2018-02-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2017-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2017-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2016-09-27
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2016-03-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2015-10-03
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2015-03-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2014-09-22
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2014-03-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2013-09-24