ACORN CAPITAL PARTNERS LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
03821373 · ltd · incorporated 1999-08-06
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
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Turnover
year to Jun 2025
Net worth
£137.0k
book net assets
Opportunity
68/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of venture and development capital companies
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
Special-situation opportunity
Distressed financial-services with salvageable qualities — special-situations priority.

Opportunity 68/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (88/100, director aged 65). 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).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 25.2y

30/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 25.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · 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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
94 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
68/100Strong
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
49
Multiple red flags — proceed with caution.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £137,024
Cash YoY
+604%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£234k
↑ 604% YoY
Net Worth
£137k
↑ 1203% YoY
Current Assets
Current Liabilities
£0£47k£93k£140k£187k£234kJun 2024Jun 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-06-302024-06-30
Cash£233.7k£33.2k
Net assets£137.0k£10.5k

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
1
filing
  • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-01-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-03-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-03-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2023-11-28
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  5. 2023-11-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  6. 2023-03-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-03-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-06-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2020-03-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2019-03-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2018-03-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2017-03-28
    📄
    capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figure
    capital · SH19
  13. 2017-03-28
    📄
    legacy
    capital · SH20
  14. 2017-03-28
    ⚠️
    legacy
    insolvency · CAP-SS
  15. 2017-03-28
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  16. 2017-03-28
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  17. 2017-03-15
    DUTSON, Henry resigned
    director
  18. 2012-03-31
    TEMPLETON, Robert Ian resigned
    director
  19. 2010-11-17
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  20. 2009-12-04
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  21. 2002-04-22
    NORFOLK, Graham Richard appointed
    secretary
  22. 2002-04-22
    HL SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  23. 2001-12-18
    AXON, Paul resigned
    director
  24. 2001-12-18
    DUTSON, Henry appointed
    director
  25. 2001-02-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  26. 2001-01-19
    HL SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  27. 2000-09-22
    AXON, Paul appointed
    director
  28. 2000-08-01
    HALLIWELLS SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  29. 2000-06-30
    NORFOLK, Graham Richard appointed
    director
  30. 2000-06-30
    TEMPLETON, Robert Ian appointed
    director
  31. 2000-06-30
    HALLIWELLS DIRECTORS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  32. 1999-08-06
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ACORN CAPITAL PARTNERS LIMITED
  33. 1999-08-06
    HALLIWELLS SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  34. 1999-08-06
    HALLIWELLS DIRECTORS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

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 26 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

90/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 65. 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 26 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

2 high ·
Confirmation statement overdue
high

Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.

Evidence: Next due: 2026-05-05

1 insolvency-related filing on record
high

Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.

Evidence: 2017-03-28: legacy

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Graham Richard Norfolk
Individual · British · DOB 10/1961 · age 65
75100%
75-100% shares06/04/2016

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

10 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
Incorporated1999-08-06
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC64303 — Activities of venture and development capital companies

Registered office

Fawside Farm
Longnor
Buxton
Derbyshire
SK17 0RA

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last made up to: 2025-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-05-05OVERDUE
Last: 2025-04-21

Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)

NORFOLK, Graham Richard
secretary · appointed 2002-04-22
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
NORFOLK, Graham Richard
director · ~65y · appointed 2000-06-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HALLIWELLS SECRETARIES LIMITED
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-08-06 · resigned 2000-08-01
Resigned
HL SECRETARIES LIMITED
corporate-secretary · appointed 2001-01-19 · resigned 2002-04-22
Resigned
AXON, Paul
director · ~59y · appointed 2000-09-22 · resigned 2001-12-18
Resigned
DUTSON, Henry
director · ~75y · appointed 2001-12-18 · resigned 2017-03-15
Resigned
TEMPLETON, Robert Ian
director · ~85y · appointed 2000-06-30 · resigned 2012-03-31
Resigned
HALLIWELLS DIRECTORS LIMITED
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-08-06 · resigned 2000-06-30
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

2
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
Debenture1 property04/12/200928/11/2023
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Debenture1 property13/02/200117/11/2010

Recent filings (94 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-03-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-03-28
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-11-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-04-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-06-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-06-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-03-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-03-18