CLASSIC STEEL STOCKHOLDING LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
03324223 · ltd · incorporated 1997-02-26
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 Mar 2026
Net worth
£462.9k
book net assets
Opportunity
83/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46720
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with exceptional profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 83/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 59). 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 (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 29.3y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 29.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)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
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
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 5 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
87 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
83/100Exceptional
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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Positive net assets
Net assets £462,911
Net assets shrinking
Down £16,929 YoY
Cash YoY
-6%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£263k
↓ 5.7% YoY
Net Worth
£463k
↓ 3.5% YoY
Current Assets
£756k
↓ 8.2% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2026-03-31 | 2025-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £474.3k | £495.1k |
| Current assets | £756.4k | £823.9k |
| Cash | £262.5k | £278.3k |
| Debtors | £367.8k | £365.2k |
| Net assets | £462.9k | £479.8k |
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 accounts
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-06-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-06-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-02📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2022-09-02🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2022-07-22📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-07-21🔒Charge registered #3Lender: National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company
- 2022-05-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-05-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-02📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2019-01-02📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2018-12-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2018-12-27📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2018-11-30➖THOMAS, Ian William resigneddirector
- 2018-05-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2017-06-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2011-04-06➕WHALLEY, Justin Lee appointeddirector
- 2011-03-21➖WHALLEY, Paul John resignedsecretary
- 2011-03-21➖WHALLEY, Paul John resigneddirector
- 2007-04-27🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
- 2002-07-31➖BEECHER, John Francis resigneddirector
- 1997-04-17🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1997-04-01➕LIDDELL, Richard Gavin appointeddirector
- 1997-04-01➕BEECHER, John Francis appointeddirector
- 1997-02-27➕WHALLEY, Paul John appointedsecretary
- 1997-02-27➖BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-02-27➕THOMAS, Ian William appointeddirector
- 1997-02-27➕WHALLEY, Paul John appointeddirector
- 1997-02-27➖DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1997-02-26🏢Company incorporatedAs CLASSIC STEEL STOCKHOLDING LIMITED
- 1997-02-26➕BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-02-26➕DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
76/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial 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 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
76/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- 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
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 Richard Gavin Liddell Individual · British · DOB 04/1967 · age 59 | — | — | board controlboard control | 01/07/2016 |
Mr Justin Lee Whalley Individual · British · DOB 04/1976 · age 50 | — | — | board controlboard control | 01/07/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Ian William Thomasceased 30/11/2018· board control
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 · Wholesale & distribution · BB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASA FURNITURE CONSULTANCY LTD→ 15957380 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| CHEEMA VEG LTD→ 13221898 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| CHLOE RYDING LIMITED→ 11531431 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| CHOUDRYS STORE LIMITED→ 14704462 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| CHRISTOPHER THOMAS FURNITURE WHOLESALE LTD→ 15792787 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| CIDER CITY LTD→ 17058478 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CLASSIC SHIRTINGS LIMITED→ 03003644 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| CLEAR DEAL LTD→ 16676547 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CLEARANCE FACTOR LIMITED→ 10831179 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| CLEAREARSBYLEW LIMITED→ 16677638 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CLIFF CROOK & SONS (BLACKBURN) LIMITED→ 04512137 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| CLITHEROE AUCTION MART COMPANY LIMITED(THE)→ 00054139 · est 1897 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 128y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated1997-02-26
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46720 — SIC 46720
Registered office
The Old Presshouse
Irwell Vale Road
Ewood Bridge Rossendale
Lancashire
BB4 6LF
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-12-31
Last made up to: 2026-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-12
Last: 2026-02-26
Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)
LIDDELL, Richard Gavin→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 1997-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WHALLEY, Justin Lee→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2011-04-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WHALLEY, Paul John→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1997-02-27 · resigned 2011-03-21
BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-02-26 · resigned 1997-02-27
BEECHER, John Francis→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 1997-04-01 · resigned 2002-07-31
THOMAS, Ian William→
Resigneddirector · ~75y · appointed 1997-02-27 · resigned 2018-11-30
WHALLEY, Paul John→
Resigneddirector · ~75y · appointed 1997-02-27 · resigned 2011-03-21
DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1997-02-26 · resigned 1997-02-27
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank Public Company National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company | A registered charge | — | 21/07/2022 | — | |
| satisfied | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance Limited | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 27/04/2007 | 02/09/2022 | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 17/04/1997 | — |
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
2026-06-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-06-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-06-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-07
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2022-09-02
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-07-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-05-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-06-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-05-21