ABBEY SECURITY SERVICES LTD
💤Zombieactive
03313226 · ltd · incorporated 1997-02-05
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 Apr 2025
Net worth
£616.9k
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Private security activities
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Special-situation opportunityDistressed trade-services with salvageable qualities — special-situations priority.
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 55/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 65). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 2 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · oldest 28.7y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 28.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (71/100)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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (1 active, 7 linked, 2 with DOB)
76
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
103 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
73/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
50
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £616,926
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£133k
Net Worth
£617k
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-04-30 |
|---|---|
| Cash | £133.3k |
| Net assets | £616.9k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 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
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-27📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2025-06-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-08-17🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2023-08-01📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-08-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-01-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-15📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-09-15📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-01-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-03-13📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2018-03-13📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2016-02-19➖HARDING, Penelope Lynn resignedsecretary
- 2015-09-02➕HARDING, Penelope Lynn appointedsecretary
- 2015-03-05➖WHITAKER BETHEL, Pauline resignedsecretary
- 2015-03-05➖WHITAKER BETHEL, Pauline resigneddirector
- 2010-10-25🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2005-11-01➕WHITAKER BETHEL, Pauline appointeddirector
- 2001-09-17🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2001-08-20➖BALDRY, Karen resignedsecretary
- 2001-08-20➕WHITAKER BETHEL, Pauline appointedsecretary
- 1997-09-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1997-02-05🏢Company incorporatedAs ABBEY SECURITY SERVICES LTD
- 1997-02-05➕WHITAKER-BETHEL, Ian Tristan appointeddirector
- 1997-02-05➕BALDRY, Karen appointedsecretary
- 1997-02-05➕LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-02-05➖LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-02-05➕LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1997-02-05➖LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-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 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
95/100
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 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 29 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 29 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 ·Has insolvency history
mediumCompanies House flags prior insolvency events. Review the insolvency filings for context.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Ian Tristan Whitaker-Bethel Individual · British · DOB 01/1961 · age 65 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
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 · IP postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20170418 LIMITED→ 10728518 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| 21ST CENTURY LEADERSHIP LIMITED→ 10241445 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| 28BADDIES LTD→ 17036144 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 ACTS LIFE COACHING LTD→ 15390025 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| 5 STAR CUTZ LTD→ 13389009 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 5K CLEANING CO. LTD→ 16513414 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9GUARD SECURITY SERVICES LTD→ 16811644 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AARYELLA & CO LTD→ 15138862 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ABACUS CLEANING EAST ANGLIA LTD→ 06820362 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| ABBEY FIRE & SECURITY LTD→ 07045599 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| ABBEYGATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 06803554 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| ABBEYSCAPE LANDSCAPING AND DRIVEWAYS LIMITED→ 16600671 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated1997-02-05
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC80100 — Private security activities
Registered office
Porters House 32-33 Eastern Way
Bury St. Edmunds
Suffolk
IP32 7AB
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-06-30
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-05
Last: 2026-01-22
Officers (1 active · 6 resigned)
WHITAKER-BETHEL, Ian Tristan→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 1997-02-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BALDRY, Karen→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1997-02-05 · resigned 2001-08-20
HARDING, Penelope Lynn→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2015-09-02 · resigned 2016-02-19
WHITAKER BETHEL, Pauline→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2001-08-20 · resigned 2015-03-05
LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-02-05 · resigned 1997-02-05
WHITAKER BETHEL, Pauline→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2005-11-01 · resigned 2015-03-05
LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1997-02-05 · resigned 1997-02-05
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Chattel mortgage | 1 property | 25/10/2010 | 17/08/2023 | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 17/09/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 30/09/1997 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (103 total)
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-05-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-23
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-21
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-08-17
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-08-01
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-08-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-01-25
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-09-15
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-09-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-31