21ST CENTURY ART LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
03691046 · ltd · incorporated 1998-12-31
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
—
book net assets
Opportunity
72/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Artistic creation
Sector: Arts, entertainment & recreation
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 72/100 (strong), bankability 65/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 67). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Confirmation statement overdue. Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (75/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
6 officers (1 active, 6 linked, 1 with DOB)
73
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
77 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
72/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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 (28 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-09-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2017-09-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2016-09-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2016-01-21📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2015-01-22📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-09-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2014-01-24📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2013-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2008-12-04➖WARD, Luke Strong resignedsecretary
- 2006-02-01➕WARD, Luke Strong appointedsecretary
- 2005-01-01➖BULL, Patrick John resignedsecretary
- 1999-12-30➕BULL, Patrick John appointedsecretary
- 1999-12-30➖MILLS, Graeme Michael resignedsecretary
- 1998-12-31🏢Company incorporatedAs 21ST CENTURY ART LIMITED
- 1998-12-31➕WARD, Steven Anthony appointeddirector
- 1998-12-31➕MILLS, Graeme Michael appointedsecretary
- 1998-12-31➕TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1998-12-31➖TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1998-12-31➕COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1998-12-31➖COMPANY DIRECTORS 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 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
90/100
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 67. 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 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 27 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 high ·Confirmation statement overdue
highAnnual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2026-01-14
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Steven Anthony Ward Individual · English · DOB 03/1959 · age 67 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 31/12/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 POINT LIGHTING LIMITED→ 06636522 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| 328 INVESTMENTS LIMITED→ 15860060 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 3V3 UK LONDON LTD.→ 14488999 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 7PKM FIGHTSTORE LIMITED→ 15478586 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| A AND K ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LTD→ 16948941 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A K CASINO KNIGHTS LIMITED→ 06311759 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| ABDTHEATRE EDU LIMITED→ 12096857 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ABSOLUTE FITNESS LIMITED→ 03828970 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| ACCOMPLICE LIMITED→ 05043937 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| ACTING MOON EVENTS LIMITED→ 08918623 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| AD ELITE COACHING LTD→ 13057860 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ADAM REAVELY TENNIS (ART) LTD.→ 07528704 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1998-12-31
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC90030 — Artistic creation
Registered office
3/49 Cornwallis Gardens
Hastings
East Sussex
TN34 1LX
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-01-14OVERDUE
Last: 2024-12-31
Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)
WARD, Steven Anthony→
Activedirector · ~67y · appointed 1998-12-31
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BULL, Patrick John→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-12-30 · resigned 2005-01-01
MILLS, Graeme Michael→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-12-31 · resigned 1999-12-30
WARD, Luke Strong→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2006-02-01 · resigned 2008-12-04
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1998-12-31 · resigned 1998-12-31
COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1998-12-31 · resigned 1998-12-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (77 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-09-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-09-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-09-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-08-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-09-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2020-12-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2019-09-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2018-09-12