EC ENGLISH CAMBRIDGE LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
03211405 · ltd · incorporated 1996-06-12
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
£2.23M
year to Dec 2023
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
74/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other education n.e.c.
Sector: Education
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 74/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. 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: share sale to pe / searcher (38/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 20.5y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 20.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (73/100)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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
17 officers (1 active, 17 linked, 12 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
0 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
7 connected companies via shared directors
66
Filing history
131 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
74/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Loss-making
Loss before tax £1,039,758
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|
| Turnover | £2.23M |
| Gross profit | £634.2k |
| Operating profit | £-1.03M |
| Profit before tax | £-1.04M |
| Average employees | 3500 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 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
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 2 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (59 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-24📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-02-06➖VASSALLO, Michelle resigneddirector
- 2026-02-05📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-01-15➖NEISH, Therese Gemma resigneddirector
- 2025-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-02📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-02-20📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statementpersons-with-significant-control · PSC08
- 2025-02-20📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-09-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-24📄second-filing-of-director-appointment-with-nameofficers · RP04AP01
- 2024-09-02📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-09-02📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-09-02📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-07-15➕NEISH, Therese Gemma appointeddirector
- 2024-07-15➖TIN, War War resigneddirector
- 2024-01-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-10-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-21📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-12-16📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-12-16📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-12-16📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-12-16📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-12-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-20📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-07-15📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-05-01➕VASSALLO, Michelle appointeddirector
- 2022-05-01➖XUEREB, Michael resigneddirector
- 2021-01-01➖GIFFIN, Michael William resigneddirector
- 2021-01-01➕TIN, War War appointeddirector
- 2020-10-29🔒Charge registered #4Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2017-09-01➕GIFFIN, Michael William appointeddirector
- 2017-09-01➖MANGION, Michael resigneddirector
- 2017-09-01➖MANGION, Stephen resigneddirector
- 2017-09-01➖MIZZI, Alec Alfred resigneddirector
- 2017-09-01➖MIZZI, Bernadine resigneddirector
- 2017-09-01➕XUEREB, Michael appointeddirector
- 2013-05-16➖BONETT, David resignedsecretary
- 2008-08-18➕MANGION, Michael appointeddirector
- 2008-08-18➕MANGION, Stephen appointeddirector
- 2008-08-18➕MIZZI, Alec Alfred appointeddirector
- 2008-08-18➕MIZZI, Bernadine appointeddirector
- 2007-02-09➕BONETT, David appointedsecretary
- 2007-02-08➖GONZALEZ, Frederic Emmanuel resignedsecretary
- 2006-09-30➖WILKINSON, Roderick William resigneddirector
- 2006-06-16🔒Charge registered #3Lender: The Master Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Lady Frances Sidney Sussex in Theuniversity of Cambridge
- 2006-06-16🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Master Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Lady Frances Sidney Sussex in Theuniversity of Cambridge
- 2005-11-25🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Toni Valentino Coppolaro and Tracy Coppolaro
- 2004-04-08➕GONZALEZ, Frederic Emmanuel appointedsecretary
- 2004-04-07➖WILKINSON, Roderick William resignedsecretary
- 2004-04-07➖WILKINSON, Roderick William resignedsecretary
Showing most recent 50 of 59 events
Owner dependency
85/100
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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- 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 med ·2 director resignations in last 12 months
mediumMultiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: NEISH, Therese Gemma resigned 2026-01-15; VASSALLO, Michelle resigned 2026-02-06
🔒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 · Education & training · CB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GO MOTORCYCLES LIMITED→ 15749021 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 1GO SCOOTERS LIMITED→ 15755412 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 7TH RISE LTD→ 08797469 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| A.C.E. NURSERY SCHOOL (CAMBRIDGE) LIMITED→ 01170191 · est 1974 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 51y | — | — |
| AAA MOTORCYCLE TRAINING LTD→ 11875485 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AAFAQ UK LTD→ 11694021 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AB-UK LIMITED→ 15239641 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ABACUS DAY NURSERY LTD→ 06651205 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| ABBEY DLD COLLEGES LIMITED→ 13933719 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACADEMY OF ADVANCED AESTHETICS LIMITED→ 10929682 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ACADEMY OF PSYCHOANALYSIS→ 05316107 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| ACCESS ECONOMICS LTD→ 11716694 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1996-06-12
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC85590 — Other education n.e.c.
Registered office
Tennyson House
Cambridge Business Park
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB4 0WZ
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-06-26
Last: 2025-06-12
Officers (1 active · 16 resigned)
MANGION, Andrew→
Activedirector · ~56y · appointed 2004-02-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BONETT, David→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2007-02-09 · resigned 2013-05-16
GONZALEZ, Frederic Emmanuel→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2004-04-08 · resigned 2007-02-08
WILKINSON, Roderick William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2004-02-23 · resigned 2004-04-07
WILKINSON, Roderick William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-06-12 · resigned 2004-04-07
CHETTLEBURGH INTERNATIONAL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-06-12 · resigned 1996-06-12
GIFFIN, Michael William→
Resigneddirector · ~59y · appointed 2017-09-01 · resigned 2021-01-01
MANGION, Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~55y · appointed 2008-08-18 · resigned 2017-09-01
MANGION, Stephen→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · appointed 2008-08-18 · resigned 2017-09-01
MIZZI, Alec Alfred→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2008-08-18 · resigned 2017-09-01
MIZZI, Bernadine→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2008-08-18 · resigned 2017-09-01
NEISH, Therese Gemma→
Resigneddirector · ~49y · appointed 2024-07-15 · resigned 2026-01-15
TIN, War War→
Resigneddirector · ~53y · appointed 2021-01-01 · resigned 2024-07-15
VASSALLO, Michelle→
Resigneddirector · ~54y · appointed 2022-05-01 · resigned 2026-02-06
WILKINSON, Angela Gillian Mary→
Resigneddirector · ~71y · appointed 1996-06-12 · resigned 2004-02-20
WILKINSON, Roderick William→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · appointed 1996-06-12 · resigned 2006-09-30
XUEREB, Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~54y · appointed 2017-09-01 · resigned 2022-05-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
4
Outstanding
3
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 29/10/2020 | — | |
| outstanding | The Master Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Lady Frances Sidney Sussex in Theuniversity of Cambridge | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 16/06/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Master Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Lady Frances Sidney Sussex in Theuniversity of Cambridge | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 16/06/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | Toni Valentino Coppolaro and Tracy Coppolaro | Deed of rent deposit | 1 property | 25/11/2005 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (131 total)
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-02-24
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-02-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2025-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-07-02
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statement
persons-with-significant-control · PSC08
2025-02-20
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-02-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-30
second-filing-of-director-appointment-with-name
officers · RP04AP01
2024-09-24
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-09-02
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-09-02
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-09-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-21
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-01-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-04