DOWNS FARM LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04470018 · ltd · incorporated 2002-06-26
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Stable recent picture — watch for any upcoming trigger event.
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£7.39M
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 38210
Sector: Water supply & waste
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
9 officers (4 active, 9 linked, 6 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
80 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
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 £7,389,378
Cash YoY
+24%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£4.4m
↑ 24% YoY
Net Worth
£7.4m
↑ 16% YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | £4.38M | £3.53M |
| Net assets | £7.39M | £6.36M |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 signals 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 (35 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-23📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2025-12-23📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-12-23📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-12-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-22📄capital-alter-shares-subdivisioncapital · SH02
- 2025-08-22📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2025-08-22📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-11-27📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-11-27📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-11-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-27📄withdrawal-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statementpersons-with-significant-control · PSC09
- 2024-11-27📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-11-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-24➖RICHARDS, Carol Anne resigneddirector
- 2024-10-24➖RICHARDS, Charles Paul resigneddirector
- 2024-08-24➕RICHARDS, Carol Anne appointeddirector
- 2024-08-24➖RICHARDS, Carol Anne resigneddirector
- 2023-12-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-04📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-03-02➕RICHARDS, James appointeddirector
- 2021-11-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2002-10-03➕RICHARDS, Felicity Elizabeth appointeddirector
- 2002-10-03➕RICHARDS, Carol Anne appointeddirector
- 2002-10-03➕RICHARDS, Charles Paul appointeddirector
- 2002-06-26🏢Company incorporatedAs DOWNS FARM LIMITED
- 2002-06-26➕RICHARDS, Felicity appointedsecretary
- 2002-06-26➕RICHARDS, John Laity appointeddirector
- 2002-06-26➕CDF SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-06-26➖CDF SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-06-26➕CDF FORMATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2002-06-26➖CDF FORMATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
83/100
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
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 66 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
40/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — RICHARDS, James (same surname) appointed 2022-03-02. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 66. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Downs Farm Holdings Ltd is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Downs Farm Holdings Ltd
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
DOWNS FARM LIMITED
This company · 04470018
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Downs Farm Holdings Ltd Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 22/12/2025 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr John Laity Richardsceased 22/12/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mrs Felicity Elizabeth Richardsceased 22/12/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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 · Energy & utilities · TR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOMADIC OFFSHORE WIND LIMITED→ 13457845 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| PESCO LIMITED→ 09980570 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| PHOENIX WASTE UK LTD→ 10799747 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| PLUG INTO THE SUN LIMITED→ 06315078 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| POLVENNA LIMITED→ 16415109 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PREMIER WATER SOLUTIONS 10 LTD→ 11445512 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| RECYCLING WEST COUNTRY LTD→ 04827391 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| RIG SCORRIER LTD→ 12799595 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| RIVIERA RENEWABLES LIMITED→ 09467789 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| RJMJS 4 LIMITED→ 09995603 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| RSJ2 ENERGY LIMITED→ 08705901 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| RSJ3 ENERGY LTD→ 08305450 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2002-06-26
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC38210 — SIC 38210
Registered office
Splattenridden
Hayle
Cornwall
TR27 6LH
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-07-10
Last: 2025-06-26
Officers (4 active · 5 resigned)
RICHARDS, Felicity→
Activesecretary · appointed 2002-06-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
RICHARDS, Felicity Elizabeth→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2002-10-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
RICHARDS, James→
Activedirector · ~34y · appointed 2022-03-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
RICHARDS, John Laity→
Activedirector · ~66y · appointed 2002-06-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CDF SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-06-26 · resigned 2002-06-26
RICHARDS, Carol Anne→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2024-08-24 · resigned 2024-10-24
RICHARDS, Carol Anne→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2002-10-03 · resigned 2024-08-24
RICHARDS, Charles Paul→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2002-10-03 · resigned 2024-10-24
CDF FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-06-26 · resigned 2002-06-26
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (80 total)
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2025-12-23
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-12-23
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-12-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-19
capital-alter-shares-subdivision
capital · SH02
2025-08-22
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-08-22
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-08-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-18
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-11-27
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-11-27
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-11-27
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-11-27
withdrawal-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statement
persons-with-significant-control · PSC09
2024-11-27
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-11-27
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-11-27