AQUILA U.K. LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
03320519 · ltd · incorporated 1997-02-18
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 28.1y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 69-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 69). 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

1 live charge · oldest 28.1y

65/100
clean up first

Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.

  • · Oldest live charge is 28.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (69/100)

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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (2 active, 10 linked, 4 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
90 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.

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · IFRS
Metric2025-03-31
Average employees100

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 (35 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-06-25
    📄
    accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AAMD
  2. 2025-09-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-05-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2023-06-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2023-06-19
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  6. 2023-04-01
    ➕
    WATSON, Lynne Maureen appointed
    director
  7. 2022-06-27
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  8. 2022-06-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2021-12-14
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  10. 2021-08-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2021-03-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2019-07-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2018-06-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2017-06-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-01-11
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  16. 2016-12-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  17. 2010-03-26
    ➖
    HCS (WIGAN) LTD resigned
    corporate-secretary
  18. 2005-01-31
    ➕
    HCS (WIGAN) LTD appointed
    corporate-secretary
  19. 2005-01-31
    ➖
    HCS (WIGAN) LTD resigned
    corporate-secretary
  20. 1999-01-01
    ➖
    WATSON, Andrew David resigned
    secretary
  21. 1999-01-01
    ➕
    HCS (WIGAN) LTD appointed
    corporate-secretary
  22. 1998-06-11
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  23. 1998-01-05
    ➖
    DARRALL, Jacqueline resigned
    director
  24. 1997-04-18
    ➕
    WATSON, Andrew David appointed
    secretary
  25. 1997-04-13
    ➖
    EDMUNDS, Keith Andrew resigned
    secretary
  26. 1997-04-13
    ➖
    EDMUNDS, Keith Andrew resigned
    director
  27. 1997-02-18
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As AQUILA U.K. LIMITED
  28. 1997-02-18
    ➕
    WATSON, Andrew David appointed
    director
  29. 1997-02-18
    ➕
    EDMUNDS, Keith Andrew appointed
    secretary
  30. 1997-02-18
    ➕
    LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  31. 1997-02-18
    ➖
    LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  32. 1997-02-18
    ➕
    DARRALL, Jacqueline appointed
    director
  33. 1997-02-18
    ➕
    EDMUNDS, Keith Andrew appointed
    director
  34. 1997-02-18
    ➕
    LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  35. 1997-02-18
    ➖
    LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

91/100
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 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 69 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 69. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • 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

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

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr David Watson
Individual · British · DOB 03/1957 · age 69
75–100%
—75-100% shares10/02/2017

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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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
Incorporated1997-02-18
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Registered office

7 Osborne Road
Wallasey
CH45 1HZ
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-04
Last: 2026-02-18

Officers (2 active · 8 resigned)

WATSON, Andrew David→
director · ~69y · appointed 1997-02-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WATSON, Lynne Maureen→
director · ~68y · appointed 2023-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
EDMUNDS, Keith Andrew→
secretary · appointed 1997-02-18 · resigned 1997-04-13
Resigned
WATSON, Andrew David→
secretary · appointed 1997-04-18 · resigned 1999-01-01
Resigned
HCS (WIGAN) LTD→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2005-01-31 · resigned 2010-03-26
Resigned
HCS (WIGAN) LTD→
corporate-secretary · appointed 1999-01-01 · resigned 2005-01-31
Resigned
LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-02-18 · resigned 1997-02-18
Resigned
DARRALL, Jacqueline→
director · ~57y · appointed 1997-02-18 · resigned 1998-01-05
Resigned
EDMUNDS, Keith Andrew→
director · ~67y · appointed 1997-02-18 · resigned 1997-04-13
Resigned
LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1997-02-18 · resigned 1997-02-18
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Mortgage debenture1 property11/06/1998—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (90 total)

accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2026-06-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-06-20
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-06-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-01
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-06-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-06-17
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-07
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2021-12-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-08-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-09