GULLIFORD HI FI LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
03211706 · ltd · incorporated 1996-06-13
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
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Retail sale of audio and video equipment in specialised stores
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 75-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 75). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 29.8y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 29.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: low (53/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (2 active, 9 linked, 2 with DOB)
74
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
87 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
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 (36 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-29📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-07-25📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2024-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-01-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-12-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-06-13📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-12-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-07-27📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2011-06-17🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2008-12-18🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2005-12-14➕SIMMONDS, Grace Mary appointedsecretary
- 2005-12-14➖HILLIER, Rosamund Gwyneth resignedsecretary
- 2005-12-14➖REVELLE, Anthony resigneddirector
- 2002-09-01➕HILLIER, Rosamund Gwyneth appointedsecretary
- 2002-09-01➖REVELLE, Mandy resignedsecretary
- 2001-07-31➖REVELLE, Anthony resignedsecretary
- 2001-07-31➕REVELLE, Mandy appointedsecretary
- 1996-08-08🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1996-07-17➖ANDREWS, Thomas resignedsecretary
- 1996-07-17➕REVELLE, Anthony appointedsecretary
- 1996-06-13🏢Company incorporatedAs GULLIFORD HI FI LIMITED
- 1996-06-13➕SIMMONDS, Michael Watkinson appointeddirector
- 1996-06-13➕ANDREWS, Thomas appointedsecretary
- 1996-06-13➕READYMADE SECRETARIES LTD. appointedcorporate-secretary
- 1996-06-13➖READYMADE SECRETARIES LTD. resignedcorporate-secretary
- 1996-06-13➕REVELLE, Anthony appointeddirector
- 1996-06-13➕READYMADE NOMINEES LTD appointedcorporate-director
- 1996-06-13➖READYMADE NOMINEES LTD resignedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
100/100
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 30 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 75 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
100/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 75 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- 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
cleanNo 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael Watkinson Simmonds Individual · British · DOB 11/1951 · age 75 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control · firm interest | 06/04/2016 |
Mrs Grace Simmonds Individual · British · DOB 03/1943 · age 83 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 12 BAR MUSIC AND SOCIAL LTD→ 15400228 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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| 2 SEASONS HOLDINGS LTD→ 12639942 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 27DEVON MINIMARKET LTD→ 16418178 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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| 464 CLOTHING CO LTD→ 16018398 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 4HOMES LIMITED→ 04463384 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| A C GOLF STUDIO LTD→ 15511645 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| A.E. WAKEMAN & SONS LIMITED→ 01335038 · est 1977 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 48y | — | — |
| A2Z WIZARDS LIMITED→ 10320284 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| AATHAN LTD→ 14119977 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1996-06-13
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC47430 — Retail sale of audio and video equipment in specialised stores
Registered office
17 Southernhay East
Exeter
Devon
EX1 1QE
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-06-27
Last: 2025-06-13
Officers (2 active · 7 resigned)
SIMMONDS, Grace Mary→
Activesecretary · appointed 2005-12-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SIMMONDS, Michael Watkinson→
Activedirector · ~75y · appointed 1996-06-13
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ANDREWS, Thomas→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-06-13 · resigned 1996-07-17
HILLIER, Rosamund Gwyneth→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-09-01 · resigned 2005-12-14
REVELLE, Anthony→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-07-17 · resigned 2001-07-31
REVELLE, Mandy→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2001-07-31 · resigned 2002-09-01
READYMADE SECRETARIES LTD.→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 1996-06-13 · resigned 1996-06-13
REVELLE, Anthony→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 1996-06-13 · resigned 2005-12-14
READYMADE NOMINEES LTD→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 1996-06-13 · resigned 1996-06-13
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 18/12/2008 | — | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 08/08/1996 | 17/06/2011 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (87 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-08
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-07-29
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2025-07-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-06-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-06-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-06-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-12-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-06-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-09-02