ASHBY STORES LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04416769 · ltd · incorporated 2002-04-15
Investment thesis
Property vehicle with leveraged stack — refinance / partial-release angle.
Why interesting: Asset-backed; value largely in underlying property; lender engagement likely possible.
Why risky: Multiple lenders to manage; inter-creditor friction and partial-release cost possible.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Jan 2025
Net worth
£1.67M
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Buying and selling of own real estate
Sector: Real estate
Investor take
PursueProperty-backed borrower with a 63-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 63). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 5 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
7 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 12.3y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 12.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)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
7 charges (7/7 with lender, 7/7 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (3 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
88 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
78/100Strong
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
82
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Positive net assets
Net assets £1,665,959
Net assets shrinking
Down £175,733 YoY
Cash YoY
+1%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£166k
↑ 1.1% YoY
Net Worth
£1.7m
↓ 9.5% YoY
Current Assets
£191k
↑ 13% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £2.10M | £2.38M |
| Current assets | £191.4k | £169.1k |
| Cash | £166.4k | £164.5k |
| Debtors | £25.0k | £4.6k |
| Net assets | £1.67M | £1.84M |
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 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-22📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-12-20📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2025-12-20📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2025-12-20📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2025-10-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-04📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2025-07-01📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2025-07-01📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2025-07-01📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-05-16📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-05-16📄capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capitalcapital · SH02
- 2025-05-09📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-05-04📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-09📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-11-09🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Landbay Partners Limited
- 2022-10-20📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-10-19🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Landbay Partners Limited
- 2022-06-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-02-26➖ASHBY, Douglas Henry James resigneddirector
- 2021-02-26➖ASHBY, Eileen Mary resigneddirector
- 2020-01-28➕ASHBY, Julie Ann appointeddirector
- 2018-01-26🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Yorkshire Building Society T/a Norwich & Peterborough Building Society
- 2015-10-26🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Yorkshire Building Society (Trading as Norwich & Peterborough Building Society)
- 2015-10-26🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Yorkshire Building Society (Trading as Norwich & Peterborough Building Society)
- 2015-08-07🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Yorkshire Building Society T/a Norwich and Peterborough Building Society
- 2014-03-28🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Norwich and Peterborough Building Society
- 2002-04-15🏢Company incorporatedAs ASHBY STORES LIMITED
- 2002-04-15➕ASHBY, Michael Douglas appointedsecretary
- 2002-04-15➕ASHBY, Michael Douglas appointeddirector
- 2002-04-15➕L & A SECRETARIAL LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-04-15➖L & A SECRETARIAL LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-04-15➕ASHBY, Douglas Henry James appointeddirector
- 2002-04-15➕ASHBY, Eileen Mary appointeddirector
- 2002-04-15➕L & A REGISTRARS LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 2002-04-15➖L & A REGISTRARS LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
- 2002-04-15➕L & A REGISTRARS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2002-04-15➖L & A REGISTRARS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
99/100
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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "ASHBY" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
86/100
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 63. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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
1 low7 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael Douglas Ashby Individual · British · DOB 12/1963 · age 63 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
Mrs Julie Ann Ashby Individual · British · DOB 12/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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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
Incorporated2002-04-15
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC68100 — Buying and selling of own real estate
Registered office
The Brakes
Downton Castle
Ludlow
SY8 2LF
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-10
Last: 2026-04-26
Officers (3 active · 5 resigned)
ASHBY, Michael Douglas→
Activesecretary · appointed 2002-04-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ASHBY, Julie Ann→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2020-01-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ASHBY, Michael Douglas→
Activedirector · ~63y · appointed 2002-04-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
L & A SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-04-15 · resigned 2002-04-15
ASHBY, Douglas Henry James→
Resigneddirector · ~94y · appointed 2002-04-15 · resigned 2021-02-26
ASHBY, Eileen Mary→
Resigneddirector · ~92y · appointed 2002-04-15 · resigned 2021-02-26
L & A REGISTRARS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 2002-04-15 · resigned 2002-04-15
L & A REGISTRARS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-04-15 · resigned 2002-04-15
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
7
Total charges
7
Outstanding
5
Active lenders
Status:Lender:7 of 7 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Landbay Landbay Partners Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 09/11/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | Landbay Landbay Partners Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/10/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | Yorkshire Building Society T/a Norwich & Peterborough Building Society | A registered charge | 1 property | 26/01/2018 | — | |
| outstanding | Yorkshire Building Society (Trading as Norwich & Peterborough Building Society) | A registered charge | 1 property | 26/10/2015 | — | |
| outstanding | Yorkshire Building Society (Trading as Norwich & Peterborough Building Society) | A registered charge | 1 property | 26/10/2015 | — | |
| outstanding | Yorkshire Building Society T/a Norwich and Peterborough Building Society | A registered charge | 1 property | 07/08/2015 | — | |
| outstanding | Norwich and Peterborough Building Society | A registered charge | 1 property | 28/03/2014 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (88 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-28
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2026-01-22
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-12-20
capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-shares
capital · SH10
2025-12-20
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2025-12-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-10
capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-shares
capital · SH10
2025-07-04
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2025-07-01
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-07-01
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-07-01
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-05-16
capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capital
capital · SH02
2025-05-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-09
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-05-09
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2025-05-04