AQUILA CORPORATION UK LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
03818127 · ltd · incorporated 1999-08-02
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
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 25.7y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£42.4k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 01629
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 70-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 70). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 25.7y

65/100
clean up first

Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.

  • · Oldest live charge is 25.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — 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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (4 active, 9 linked, 5 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
3 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
83 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
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
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Positive net assets
Net assets £42,401
Net assets shrinking
Down £36,479 YoY

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
£42k
↓ 46% YoY
Current Assets
£83k
↓ 35% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£26k£51k£77k£103k£129kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets£45.3k£83.5k
Current assets£83.2k£128.6k
Net assets£42.4k£78.9k

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
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (32 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-09-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-10-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-11-02
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  4. 2023-11-01
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  5. 2023-11-01
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  6. 2023-10-25
    ➕
    MADDEN, Ashley Clare appointed
    director
  7. 2023-10-03
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  8. 2023-04-12
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
    accounts · AA01
  9. 2022-07-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  10. 2021-07-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  11. 2020-03-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  12. 2019-09-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  13. 2018-09-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-08-13
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  15. 2018-08-13
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  16. 2018-02-06
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  17. 2018-02-05
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  18. 2016-05-01
    ➕
    GROOMBRIDGE, Joanna Lizette appointed
    director
  19. 2004-01-01
    ➕
    GROOMBRIDGE, Joanna Lizette appointed
    secretary
  20. 2004-01-01
    ➕
    GROOMBRIDGE, Paul Allan appointed
    director
  21. 2003-12-31
    ➖
    MARSHALL, Roderic Gregory resigned
    secretary
  22. 2003-12-31
    ➖
    GROOMBRIDGE, Geoffrey Albert Thomas resigned
    director
  23. 2003-12-31
    ➖
    MARSHALL, Roderic Gregory resigned
    director
  24. 2000-08-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
  25. 1999-08-02
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As AQUILA CORPORATION UK LIMITED
  26. 1999-08-02
    ➕
    MARSHALL, Roderic Gregory appointed
    secretary
  27. 1999-08-02
    ➕
    PARAMOUNT COMPANY SEARCHES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  28. 1999-08-02
    ➖
    PARAMOUNT COMPANY SEARCHES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  29. 1999-08-02
    ➕
    GROOMBRIDGE, Geoffrey Albert Thomas appointed
    director
  30. 1999-08-02
    ➕
    MARSHALL, Roderic Gregory appointed
    director
  31. 1999-08-02
    ➕
    PARAMOUNT PROPERTIES (UK) LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  32. 1999-08-02
    ➖
    PARAMOUNT PROPERTIES (UK) LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

83/100
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
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 70 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

80/100
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 70 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Shareholders & ownership

3 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mrs Ashley Clare Madden
Individual · British · DOB 11/1987 · age 39
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting26/10/2023
Mrs Joanna Lizette Groombridge
Individual · British · DOB 09/1959 · age 67
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting20/02/2018
Mr Paul Allan Groombridge
Individual · British · DOB 05/1956 · age 70
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting02/08/2017
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mrs Margaret Ann Groombridgeceased 17/01/2018· 25-50% shares

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

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CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
ARROW FENCING LTD→
15173494 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
ASHBURY FARMS CONTRACTORS LIMITED→
10772519 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
————8y——
BAKER'S AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTING LIMITED→
05214160 · est 2004 · no financials extracted
————21y——
BECKHAMPTON STABLES LIMITED→
01816964 · est 1984 · no financials extracted
————41y——
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13315314 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————5y——
BERRYFIELD SERVICES LTD→
14135530 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
BEXLEY LAND RESTORATION LIMITED→
02567935 · est 1990 · no financials extracted
————35y——
BIRDLYMES FARM LTD→
08932058 · est 2014 · no financials extracted
————12y——
BIRDSTONE LIMITED→
01309918 · est 1977 · no financials extracted
————48y——
BMR FARMING LIMITED→
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————43y——
BOOLE CROP SPECIALISTS LIMITED→
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————9y——
BRADFIELD FARMS LIMITED→
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————42y——
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
Incorporated1999-08-02
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC01629 — SIC 01629

Registered office

43-45 Devizes Road
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN1 4BG

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-16
Last: 2025-08-02

Officers (4 active · 5 resigned)

GROOMBRIDGE, Joanna Lizette→
secretary · appointed 2004-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GROOMBRIDGE, Joanna Lizette→
director · ~67y · appointed 2016-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GROOMBRIDGE, Paul Allan→
director · ~70y · appointed 2004-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MADDEN, Ashley Clare→
director · ~39y · appointed 2023-10-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MARSHALL, Roderic Gregory→
secretary · appointed 1999-08-02 · resigned 2003-12-31
Resigned
PARAMOUNT COMPANY SEARCHES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-08-02 · resigned 1999-08-02
Resigned
GROOMBRIDGE, Geoffrey Albert Thomas→
director · ~102y · appointed 1999-08-02 · resigned 2003-12-31
Resigned
MARSHALL, Roderic Gregory→
director · ~97y · appointed 1999-08-02 · resigned 2003-12-31
Resigned
PARAMOUNT PROPERTIES (UK) LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-08-02 · resigned 1999-08-02
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
HSBC
Hsbc Bank PLC
Debenture1 property17/08/2000—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (83 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-09-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-10-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-19
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-11-02
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-11-01
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-11-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-10-03
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-08
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2023-04-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-07-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-07-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-08-11