GENERAL SALES LIMITED
⚰️Wound downdissolved
03548226 · ltd · incorporated 1998-04-17
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
49/100
Watch
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 5010
Sector: Transportation & storage
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed unclear — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 49/100 (watch), bankability 32/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 80). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: asset disposal / carve-out (55/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.
🏦
Refinance opportunity
38 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 27.7y
25/100
too messy
Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 27.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 70/100 (specialist).
Data confidence
Overall: low (49/100)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
38 charges (38/38 with lender, 38/38 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (3 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
5 connected companies via shared directors
60
Filing history
64 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
49/100Watch
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Not actionable now, but monitor — distressed, succession, or structural changes could flip this into a real opportunity.
Business quality
0
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
46
Multiple red flags — proceed with caution.
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 (72 events)Click to expand
- 2010-07-20⚠️gazette-dissolved-liquidationgazette · GAZ2
- 2010-07-20🏁Company dissolved
- 2010-04-20⚠️liquidation-compulsory-return-final-meetinginsolvency · 4.43
- 2010-03-11📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-addressaddress · AD01
- 2006-04-11📍legacyaddress · 287
- 2004-06-03⚠️liquidation-compulsory-appointment-liquidatorinsolvency · 4.31
- 2004-06-03⚠️liquidation-compulsory-winding-up-orderinsolvency · COCOMP
- 2004-05-25📍legacyaddress · 287
- 2003-12-04📄legacyofficers · 288c
- 2003-05-10📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2002-11-30📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2002-11-30📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2002-11-22🔒Charge registered #38Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2002-11-22🔒Charge registered #37Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2002-10-14📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2002-09-30🔒Charge registered #36Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2002-08-28📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2002-08-20🔒Charge registered #35Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2002-08-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2002-05-01📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2002-05-01📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2002-04-24📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2001-12-20🔒Charge registered #34Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2001-12-20🔒Charge registered #33Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2001-12-15📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2001-12-12🔒Charge registered #32Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2001-11-12📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2001-11-12📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2001-11-12📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2001-11-01🔒Charge registered #31Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2001-11-01🔒Charge registered #30Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2001-11-01🔒Charge registered #29Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2001-10-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2001-04-24📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2000-08-18📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2000-08-18📄legacymortgage · 395
- 2000-08-11🔒Charge registered #28Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-08-11🔒Charge registered #27Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-08-11🔒Charge registered #26Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-08-11🔒Charge registered #25Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-07-18🔒Charge registered #24Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-07-18🔒Charge registered #23Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-07-18🔒Charge registered #22Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-07-13🔒Charge registered #20Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-07-13🔒Charge registered #19Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-07-05🔒Charge registered #21Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-06-14🔒Charge registered #18Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-06-14🔒Charge registered #17Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-06-14🔒Charge registered #16Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
- 2000-04-19🔒Charge registered #15Lender: Close Asset Finance Limited
Showing most recent 50 of 72 events
Owner dependency
83/100
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 28 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 80 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
96/100
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 80 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 28 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 28 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
2 high · 1 lowCompany dissolved
highCompany has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2010-07-20
4 insolvency-related filings on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2010-07-20: gazette-dissolved-liquidation; 2010-04-20: liquidation-compulsory-return-final-meeting
38 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
🔒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
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
11 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
Statusdissolved
Typeltd
Incorporated1998-04-17
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC5010 — SIC 5010
Registered office
92 London Street
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 4SJ
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2001-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —
Officers (0 active · 2 resigned)
SADLER, Barry Alfred→
Activesecretary · appointed 1998-05-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SADLER, Barry Alfred→
Activedirector · ~63y · appointed 1998-05-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WHITEHOUSE, Robert→
Activedirector · ~80y · appointed 1998-05-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
EXPRESS SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1998-04-17 · resigned 1998-05-27
EXPRESS DIRECTORS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1998-04-17 · resigned 1998-05-27
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
38
Total charges
38
Outstanding
3
Active lenders
Status:Lender:38 of 38 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 22/11/2002 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 22/11/2002 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 2 properties | 30/09/2002 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 20/08/2002 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignemtn dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 20/12/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignemtn dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 20/12/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 12/12/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 01/11/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 01/11/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Supplementary schedule to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 01/11/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 11/08/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 11/08/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 11/08/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementaryto a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 11/08/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 18/07/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 18/07/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 18/07/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 13/07/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 13/07/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 05/07/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 2 properties | 14/06/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 2 properties | 14/06/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 2 properties | 14/06/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 19/04/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 issued by the company | 1 property | 29/03/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 issued by the company | 1 property | 29/03/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 2 properties | 29/02/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 29/02/2000 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 22/12/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 22/12/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11 august 1998 | 1 property | 13/12/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 29/10/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 29/10/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 29/10/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 1 property | 16/08/1999 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 14/10/1998 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Schedule supplementary to a deed of assignment dated 11TH august 1998 | 2 properties | 14/10/1998 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Asset Finance Close Asset Finance Limited | Deed of assignment of sub-let agreements | 2 properties | 11/08/1998 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (64 total)
gazette-dissolved-liquidation
gazette · GAZ2
2010-07-20
liquidation-compulsory-return-final-meeting
insolvency · 4.43
2010-04-20
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address
address · AD01
2010-03-11
legacy
address · 287
2006-04-11
liquidation-compulsory-appointment-liquidator
insolvency · 4.31
2004-06-03
liquidation-compulsory-winding-up-order
insolvency · COCOMP
2004-06-03
legacy
address · 287
2004-05-25
legacy
officers · 288c
2003-12-04
legacy
annual-return · 363s
2003-05-10
legacy
mortgage · 395
2002-11-30
legacy
mortgage · 395
2002-11-30
legacy
mortgage · 395
2002-10-14
legacy
mortgage · 395
2002-08-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2002-08-04
legacy
mortgage · 395
2002-05-01