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.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£7.39M
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 38210
Sector: Water supply & waste
Investor take
Pursue
Asset-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 declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £7,389,378
Cash YoY
+24%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£4.4m
↑ 24% YoY
Net Worth
£7.4m
↑ 16% YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£1.5m£3.0m£4.4m£5.9m£7.4mMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
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
4
filings
  • • 3 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-23
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  2. 2025-12-23
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  3. 2025-12-23
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  4. 2025-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2025-08-22
    📄
    capital-alter-shares-subdivision
    capital · SH02
  6. 2025-08-22
    📄
    memorandum-articles
    incorporation · MA
  7. 2025-08-22
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  8. 2024-11-27
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  9. 2024-11-27
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  10. 2024-11-27
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  11. 2024-11-27
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  12. 2024-11-27
    📄
    withdrawal-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statement
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC09
  13. 2024-11-27
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  14. 2024-11-27
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  15. 2024-11-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2024-10-24
    ➖
    RICHARDS, Carol Anne resigned
    director
  17. 2024-10-24
    ➖
    RICHARDS, Charles Paul resigned
    director
  18. 2024-08-24
    ➕
    RICHARDS, Carol Anne appointed
    director
  19. 2024-08-24
    ➖
    RICHARDS, Carol Anne resigned
    director
  20. 2023-12-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2022-12-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  22. 2022-03-04
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  23. 2022-03-02
    ➕
    RICHARDS, James appointed
    director
  24. 2021-11-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  25. 2020-10-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  26. 2002-10-03
    ➕
    RICHARDS, Felicity Elizabeth appointed
    director
  27. 2002-10-03
    ➕
    RICHARDS, Carol Anne appointed
    director
  28. 2002-10-03
    ➕
    RICHARDS, Charles Paul appointed
    director
  29. 2002-06-26
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As DOWNS FARM LIMITED
  30. 2002-06-26
    ➕
    RICHARDS, Felicity appointed
    secretary
  31. 2002-06-26
    ➕
    RICHARDS, John Laity appointed
    director
  32. 2002-06-26
    ➕
    CDF SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  33. 2002-06-26
    ➖
    CDF SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  34. 2002-06-26
    ➕
    CDF FORMATIONS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  35. 2002-06-26
    ➖
    CDF FORMATIONS 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 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 signal

Some 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

clean
No 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.

🏛️
Downs Farm Holdings Ltd
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Downs Farm Holdings Ltd
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control22/12/2025
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 →

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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
Incorporated2002-06-26
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→
secretary · appointed 2002-06-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
RICHARDS, Felicity Elizabeth→
director · ~61y · appointed 2002-10-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
RICHARDS, James→
director · ~34y · appointed 2022-03-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
RICHARDS, John Laity→
director · ~66y · appointed 2002-06-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CDF SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-06-26 · resigned 2002-06-26
Resigned
RICHARDS, Carol Anne→
director · ~70y · appointed 2024-08-24 · resigned 2024-10-24
Resigned
RICHARDS, Carol Anne→
director · ~70y · appointed 2002-10-03 · resigned 2024-08-24
Resigned
RICHARDS, Charles Paul→
director · ~68y · appointed 2002-10-03 · resigned 2024-10-24
Resigned
CDF FORMATIONS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-06-26 · resigned 2002-06-26
Resigned

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