BLACK KETTLE GROUP LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
03740604 · ltd · incorporated 1999-03-24
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 Sept 2024
Net worth
£201.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of financial services holding companies
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)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 (2 active, 6 linked, 2 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
117 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £201,618
Net assets shrinking
Down £148 YoY
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£202k
~ YoY
Current Assets
£22k
~ YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-09-30 | 2023-09-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £201.6k | £201.8k |
| Current assets | £22.3k | £22.3k |
| Net assets | £201.6k | £201.8k |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (27 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-18📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2025-09-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-26📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2025-07-01📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2025-06-29📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-06-17📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2024-10-12📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2024-10-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-03📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2023-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-06-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-04📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2018-11-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-19➖JORDAN COMPANY SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2017-06-17➕BRIGGS, James Henry Currer appointedsecretary
- 2001-03-26➖CROSS, Andrew Robert resigneddirector
- 2000-03-24➖SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-03-24🏢Company incorporatedAs BLACK KETTLE GROUP LIMITED
- 1999-03-24➕BRIGGS, James Henry Currer appointeddirector
- 1999-03-24➕JORDAN COMPANY SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-03-24➕SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-03-24➕CROSS, Andrew Robert appointeddirector
- 1999-03-24➕INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1999-03-24➖INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
93/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
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 61. Early succession window.
- 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.
- 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
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr James Henry Currer Briggs Individual · British · DOB 01/1965 · age 61 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
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 →Similar companies
Active · Holding company · HG postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BETTY'S BAKERY LIMITED→ 00542421 · est 1954 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 71y | — | — |
| BIELSA 2019/20 LIMITED→ 16607568 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BLUELINE TAXIS (HARROGATE) (1981) LIMITED→ 01592920 · est 1981 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 44y | — | — |
| CARGO LOGISTICS HOLDINGS LTD→ 15999007 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| CASTLESTEAD (PATELEY BRIDGE) MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED (THE)→ 00694808 · est 1961 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 64y | — | — |
| CATTON VILLAGE GREEN MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 10612281 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| CENTRIC 2016 LIMITED→ 10601171 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| CHARLTON MANOR (MANAGEMENT) LTD→ 09750647 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| CHARTER COURT PRESTON LIMITED→ 15771559 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| CHELTENHAM CRESCENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 11696776 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| CHELTENHAM MOUNT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 03757635 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| CHESTNUT INVEST LTD→ 16927033 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated1999-03-24
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC64205 — Activities of financial services holding companies
Registered office
The Old Mill
Ramsgill
Harrogate
HG3 5RL
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-06-30
Last made up to: 2024-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-07
Last: 2026-03-24
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
BRIGGS, James Henry Currer→
Activesecretary · appointed 2017-06-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BRIGGS, James Henry Currer→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 1999-03-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JORDAN COMPANY SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-03-24 · resigned 2017-07-19
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-03-24 · resigned 2000-03-24
CROSS, Andrew Robert→
Resigneddirector · ~61y · appointed 1999-03-24 · resigned 2001-03-26
INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-03-24 · resigned 1999-03-24
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (117 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-28
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2025-09-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-09-17
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2025-08-26
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2025-07-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-29
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-06-29
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2025-06-17
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2024-10-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-10-11
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-09-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-07-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-06-30