ACTIVATE OUTDOORS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
03201193 · ltd · incorporated 1996-05-20
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
£492.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch
What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.

Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (63/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 25.2y

15/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 25.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.

Data confidence

Overall: high (80/100)

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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (3 active, 10 linked, 6 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
4 connected companies via shared directors
57
Filing history
95 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
65
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £492,642
Net assets shrinking
Down £52,465 YoY
Cash YoY
-33%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£92k
↓ 33% YoY
Net Worth
£493k
↓ 9.6% YoY
Current Assets
£203k
~ YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£109k£218k£327k£436k£545kFeb 2024Feb 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-02-282024-02-28
Total assets£1.20M£1.34M
Current assets£203.4k£204.4k
Cash£91.9k£136.5k
Debtors£111.5k£67.9k
Net assets£492.6k£545.1k

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
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (36 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-10-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-10-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-11-07
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  4. 2023-11-03
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Shawbrook Bank Limited
  5. 2023-07-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-07-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-10-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-01-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2019-11-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2019-05-21
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  11. 2019-05-21
    📄
    change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH03
  12. 2019-05-21
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  13. 2018-11-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2017-11-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-09-05
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  16. 2017-08-16
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  17. 2016-11-07
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  18. 2007-08-01
    ➕
    CRATES, Robert David appointed
    secretary
  19. 2007-08-01
    ➕
    CRATES, Robert David appointed
    director
  20. 2007-07-31
    ➖
    KING, Philippa Helen resigned
    secretary
  21. 2007-07-31
    ➖
    KING, Philippa Helen resigned
    director
  22. 2001-11-25
    ➖
    KING, Ian Miles resigned
    director
  23. 2001-11-25
    ➕
    KING, Philippa Helen appointed
    director
  24. 2001-03-26
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
  25. 1999-06-24
    ➖
    KING, Dianne Mary resigned
    secretary
  26. 1999-06-24
    ➕
    KING, Philippa Helen appointed
    secretary
  27. 1996-05-29
    ➕
    KING, Matthew John appointed
    director
  28. 1996-05-29
    ➖
    DWYER, Daniel John resigned
    nominee-secretary
  29. 1996-05-29
    ➕
    KING, Dianne Mary appointed
    secretary
  30. 1996-05-29
    ➖
    DOYLE, Betty June resigned
    nominee-director
  31. 1996-05-29
    ➖
    DWYER, Daniel John resigned
    nominee-director
  32. 1996-05-29
    ➕
    KING, Ian Miles appointed
    director
  33. 1996-05-20
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ACTIVATE OUTDOORS LIMITED
  34. 1996-05-20
    ➕
    DWYER, Daniel John appointed
    nominee-secretary
  35. 1996-05-20
    ➕
    DOYLE, Betty June appointed
    nominee-director
  36. 1996-05-20
    ➕
    DWYER, Daniel John appointed
    nominee-director

Owner dependency

68/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.

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 30 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.

Succession & seller-readiness

66/100
Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 30 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

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Matthew John King
Individual · British · DOB 09/1973 · age 53
50–75%
50–75%board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control06/04/2016
Mr Robert David Crates
Individual · British · DOB 11/1972 · age 54
25–50%
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.

🔒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 →

Similar companies

Active · Trade services · SO postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
A.D. MACLEAN TREE MANAGEMENT LTD→
07831884 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
ACE BARBER SOUTHAMPTON LTD→
14410968 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
ACE HAIR STYLIST LTD→
16908556 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
ACOL CLEANING & HYGIENE LIMITED→
02905621 · est 1994 · no financials extracted
————32y——
ACOL GROUP LIMITED→
12315454 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
————6y——
ACONS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANCY LTD→
16597937 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
ACORNS (SOUTHERN) LIMITED→
11788437 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
————7y——
ACROSS TOWN & COUNTRY LTD→
14922427 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
ACTION TAX CONSULTING LIMITED→
06660716 · est 2008 · no financials extracted
————17y——
ACTION WINDOW CLEANING LTD→
11086926 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
————8y——
ADAM CLARKE FENCING LTD→
13583422 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————4y——
ADAM FOLLON MASTER THATCHER LTD→
08285802 · est 2012 · no financials extracted
————13y——
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
Incorporated1996-05-20
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Registered office

The New Forest Outdoor Centre
Minstead Manor Estate
Emery Down Lyndhurst
Hampshire
SO43 7GA

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-28
Last: 2026-05-14

Officers (3 active · 7 resigned)

CRATES, Robert David→
secretary · appointed 2007-08-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CRATES, Robert David→
director · ~54y · appointed 2007-08-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
KING, Matthew John→
director · ~53y · appointed 1996-05-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DWYER, Daniel John→
nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-05-20 · resigned 1996-05-29
Resigned
KING, Dianne Mary→
secretary · appointed 1996-05-29 · resigned 1999-06-24
Resigned
KING, Philippa Helen→
secretary · appointed 1999-06-24 · resigned 2007-07-31
Resigned
DOYLE, Betty June→
nominee-director · ~90y · appointed 1996-05-20 · resigned 1996-05-29
Resigned
DWYER, Daniel John→
nominee-director · ~85y · appointed 1996-05-20 · resigned 1996-05-29
Resigned
KING, Ian Miles→
director · ~78y · appointed 1996-05-29 · resigned 2001-11-25
Resigned
KING, Philippa Helen→
director · ~55y · appointed 2001-11-25 · resigned 2007-07-31
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
3
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Shawbrook
Shawbrook Bank Limited
A registered charge2 properties03/11/2023—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property16/08/2017—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
Debenture1 property26/03/2001—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (95 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-14
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2023-11-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-07-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-10-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-05-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-01-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-05-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-11-20