A.P. (EAST ANGLIA) LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
03376167 · ltd · incorporated 1997-05-27
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 Dec 2024
Net worth
£3.51M
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 10390
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 77-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 77). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 7 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

8 live charges · 7 lenders · oldest 28.3y

15/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 28.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 7 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: high (81/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

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
8 charges (8/8 with lender, 8/8 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (2 active, 11 linked, 6 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
3 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
105 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
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 declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £3,509,400
Cash YoY
+216%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£29k
↑ 216% YoY
Net Worth
£3.5m
↑ 9.3% YoY
Current Assets
£5.7m
↓ 8.8% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£1.3m£2.5m£3.8m£5.0m£6.3mDec 2023Dec 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2024-12-312023-12-31
Total assets£4.64M£4.37M
Current assets£5.75M£6.30M
Cash£28.8k£9.1k
Debtors£3.33M£3.97M
Net assets£3.51M£3.21M

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
4
filings
  • • 2 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 2 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
6
filings
  • • 2 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 2 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 mortgage
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (51 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-13
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  2. 2026-03-24
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  3. 2026-01-20
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  4. 2026-01-16
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  5. 2025-12-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2025-10-02
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  7. 2025-09-30
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  8. 2025-09-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: Bibby Financial Services LTD
  9. 2025-09-30
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  10. 2025-09-29
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  11. 2025-09-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #6
  12. 2025-06-03
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  13. 2024-12-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2023-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2022-10-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2021-10-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2020-12-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2020-04-28
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  19. 2020-04-28
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  20. 2020-04-01
    ➕
    SOFTLEY, Susi Ella appointed
    secretary
  21. 2020-04-01
    ➖
    CARTER, David Reeves resigned
    secretary
  22. 2019-09-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  23. 2019-01-18
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Paragon Business Finance PLC
  24. 2016-11-29
    ➖
    CARTER, David Reeves resigned
    director
  25. 2016-10-14
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  26. 2016-09-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  27. 2016-09-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  28. 2016-09-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  29. 2016-09-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  30. 2014-01-31
    ➖
    SEAMAN, Eric John resigned
    director
  31. 2013-11-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC
  32. 2013-11-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC
  33. 2011-10-14
    ➕
    CARTER, David Reeves appointed
    secretary
  34. 2011-10-14
    ➖
    CRANSTON, Robert Ian resigned
    secretary
  35. 2009-09-11
    ➕
    CRANSTON, James Neil Percival appointed
    director
  36. 2009-01-09
    ➖
    HARRISON, Sarah Helen resigned
    director
  37. 2006-11-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited (The Security Holder)
  38. 2006-01-01
    ➕
    SEAMAN, Eric John appointed
    director
  39. 2005-10-01
    ➕
    CARTER, David Reeves appointed
    director
  40. 2005-09-30
    ➖
    ANDREWES, William Richard resigned
    director
  41. 2001-11-30
    ➖
    CRANSTON, James Neil Percival resigned
    director
  42. 2001-08-10
    ➕
    ANDREWES, William Richard appointed
    director
  43. 2001-08-10
    ➕
    HARRISON, Sarah Helen appointed
    director
  44. 1998-02-10
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  45. 1997-10-01
    ➕
    CRANSTON, Robert Ian appointed
    secretary
  46. 1997-10-01
    ➖
    SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  47. 1997-10-01
    ➕
    CRANSTON, James Neil Percival appointed
    director
  48. 1997-10-01
    ➖
    INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  49. 1997-05-27
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As A.P. (EAST ANGLIA) LIMITED
  50. 1997-05-27
    ➕
    SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
Showing most recent 50 of 51 events

Owner dependency

100/100
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
  • +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 17 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 77 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

98/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 77 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 17 years.
  • 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 ·
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

3 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mrs Georgina Clare Valentine
Individual · British · DOB 05/1978 · age 48
25–50%
—25-50% shares01/03/2026
Mrs Sophie Tyler-Whittle
Individual · British · DOB 07/1976 · age 50
25–50%
—25-50% shares01/06/2025
Mr James Neil Percival Cranston
Individual · British · DOB 06/1949 · age 77
——sig. influencesignificant influence06/04/2016

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 →

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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
Incorporated1997-05-27
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC10390 — SIC 10390

Registered office

Merton
Watton
Thetford
Norfolk
IP25 6QL

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-14
Last: 2026-03-31

Officers (2 active · 9 resigned)

SOFTLEY, Susi Ella→
secretary · appointed 2020-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CRANSTON, James Neil Percival→
director · ~77y · appointed 2009-09-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CARTER, David Reeves→
secretary · appointed 2011-10-14 · resigned 2020-04-01
Resigned
CRANSTON, Robert Ian→
secretary · appointed 1997-10-01 · resigned 2011-10-14
Resigned
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-05-27 · resigned 1997-10-01
Resigned
ANDREWES, William Richard→
director · ~78y · appointed 2001-08-10 · resigned 2005-09-30
Resigned
CARTER, David Reeves→
director · ~76y · appointed 2005-10-01 · resigned 2016-11-29
Resigned
CRANSTON, James Neil Percival→
director · ~77y · appointed 1997-10-01 · resigned 2001-11-30
Resigned
HARRISON, Sarah Helen→
director · ~56y · appointed 2001-08-10 · resigned 2009-01-09
Resigned
SEAMAN, Eric John→
director · ~72y · appointed 2006-01-01 · resigned 2014-01-31
Resigned
INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1997-05-27 · resigned 1997-10-01
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

8
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:8 of 8 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
A registered charge—16/01/2026—
outstanding
Bibby Financial Services
Bibby Financial Services LTD
A registered charge—30/09/2025—
satisfied
Paragon
Paragon Business Finance PLC
A registered charge—18/01/201929/09/2025
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
A registered charge—05/09/201630/09/2025
satisfied
Hitachi Capital (UK)
Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC
A registered charge1 property13/11/201310/09/2016
satisfied
Hitachi Capital (UK)
Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC
A registered charge1 property13/11/201310/09/2016
satisfied
NatWest Group
Rbs Invoice Finance Limited (The Security Holder)
Fixed and floating charge1 property09/11/200614/10/2016
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Mortgage debenture1 property10/02/199810/09/2016
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (105 total)

change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-04-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-31
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2026-03-24
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-26
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2026-01-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-18
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-10-02
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-09-30
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-09-29
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2025-06-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-23