THE SIMPLY SMART GROUP LIMITED
⚰️Wound downdissolved
04627313 · ltd · incorporated 2003-01-02
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
56/100
Worth a look
What this business does
Primary activity: Event catering activities
Sector: Accommodation & food service
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed unclear — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 56/100 (worth a look), bankability 72/100. Strong seller-intent signal (88/100, director aged 82). 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
6 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 23.3y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 23.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 30/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (58/100)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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
17 officers (3 active, 17 linked, 8 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
9 connected companies via shared directors
72
Filing history
123 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
56/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Business quality
30
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
41
Multiple red flags — proceed with caution.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 (67 events)Click to expand
- 2019-07-09📄gazette-dissolved-voluntarygazette · GAZ2(A)
- 2019-07-09🏁Company dissolved
- 2019-04-23📄gazette-notice-voluntarygazette · GAZ1(A)
- 2019-04-10📄dissolution-application-strike-off-companydissolution · DS01
- 2018-08-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-02-02📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2018-02-02🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2018-01-11📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2018-01-11📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2018-01-11⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2018-01-11📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2018-01-05📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2018-01-05🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2017-08-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-12-15📄mortgage-charge-part-both-with-charge-numbermortgage · MR05
- 2016-09-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-02-12📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2016-02-03📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2016-01-18📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2016-01-18⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2016-01-18📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2015-11-05📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2015-04-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2015-02-02📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-02-02📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2013-07-01➕WATSON, Barnaby appointedsecretary
- 2013-07-01➕WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane appointeddirector
- 2013-07-01➖MORLEY, Ronald resignedsecretary
- 2013-07-01➖THOMAS, Nicholas Edward Heale resigneddirector
- 2013-04-18🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2013-04-18🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2012-12-17🔒Charge registered #7Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2012-05-29➖IVES, Stacie Jane resignedsecretary
- 2012-05-29➕MORLEY, Ronald appointedsecretary
- 2012-05-29➖ROESTENBURG, Antony Adriaan resigneddirector
- 2012-05-29➕THOMAS, Nicholas Edward Heale appointeddirector
- 2010-11-19🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2010-11-19🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2010-11-11➕MACKAY, Francis Henry, Sir appointeddirector
- 2010-10-21➕IVES, Stacie Jane appointedsecretary
- 2010-09-17➖WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane resignedsecretary
- 2010-09-17➖WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane resigneddirector
- 2009-11-16🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Equity Harvest Fund (In Its Capacity as the Security Trustee Acting Through Its Nominee Dunedin (Sape Gp) Nominees LTD)
- 2008-03-07➖WALLIS, Stuart Michael resigneddirector
- 2006-02-17🔒Charge registered #5Lender: C I Tower Investments Limited
- 2005-12-15➖DAVIES, Richard John resigneddirector
- 2005-11-01➕WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane appointeddirector
- 2005-08-01➕WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane appointedsecretary
- 2005-07-31➖BREWSTER, Nigel David resignedsecretary
- 2005-07-31➖BREWSTER, Nigel David resigneddirector
Showing most recent 50 of 67 events
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 16 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 82 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
89/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 82 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 16 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 23 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
2 high · 1 med ·Company dissolved
highCompany has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2019-07-09
2 insolvency-related filings on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2018-01-11: legacy; 2016-01-18: legacy
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
Graysons Hospitality Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Graysons Hospitality Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
THE SIMPLY SMART GROUP LIMITED
This company · 04627313
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Graysons Hospitality Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
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 →Similar companies
Active · Hospitality · CM postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 HERNE HILL MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 02624010 · est 1991 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 34y | — | — |
| A E BISHOP LTD→ 13734470 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| A2B CATERING EQUIPMENT LIMITED→ 04041708 · est 2000 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
| AALEIGHA’S LIMITED→ 15910839 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ADMIRAL BARS (HAMPSHIRE) LTD→ 12885254 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ADMIRAL LEISURE LTD→ 14676694 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ADUNNI LIMITED→ 13511371 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AFONSO COFFEE HOUSE LTD→ 15088405 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AFREEN'S KITCHEN LTD→ 16344346 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AFRIBELLY LTD→ 11198663 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| AHC LETTINGS LTD→ 14252156 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AIRS THAI KITCHEN LTD→ 16440085 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
9 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
Statusdissolved
Typeltd
Incorporated2003-01-02
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC56210 — Event catering activities
Registered office
Devon House
Anchor Street
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 0GD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2017-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —
Officers (0 active · 14 resigned)
Active
MACKAY, Francis Henry, Sir→
Activedirector · ~82y · appointed 2010-11-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane→
Activedirector · ~54y · appointed 2013-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BREWSTER, Nigel David→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-02-24 · resigned 2005-07-31
IVES, Stacie Jane→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2010-10-21 · resigned 2012-05-29
MORLEY, Ronald→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2012-05-29 · resigned 2013-07-01
WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-08-01 · resigned 2010-09-17
GRAVITAS COMPANY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2003-01-08 · resigned 2003-02-24
SDG SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-01-02 · resigned 2003-01-08
BREWSTER, Nigel David→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2003-02-24 · resigned 2005-07-31
DAVIES, Richard John→
Resigneddirector · ~98y · appointed 2003-07-01 · resigned 2005-12-15
ROESTENBURG, Antony Adriaan→
Resigneddirector · ~80y · appointed 2003-02-24 · resigned 2012-05-29
THOMAS, Nicholas Edward Heale→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2012-05-29 · resigned 2013-07-01
WALLIS, Stuart Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · appointed 2004-01-01 · resigned 2008-03-07
WATSON, Barnaby Hugh Cochrane→
Resigneddirector · ~54y · appointed 2005-11-01 · resigned 2010-09-17
GRAVITAS NOMINEES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 2003-01-08 · resigned 2003-02-24
SDG REGISTRARS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2003-01-02 · resigned 2003-01-08
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 17/12/2012 | 05/01/2018 | |
| satisfied | Equity Harvest Fund (In Its Capacity as the Security Trustee Acting Through Its Nominee Dunedin (Sape Gp) Nominees ) Equity Harvest Fund (In Its Capacity as the Security Trustee Acting Through Its Nominee Dunedin (Sape Gp) Nominees LTD) | Composite guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 16/11/2009 | 19/11/2010 | |
| satisfied | C I Tower Investments C I Tower Investments Limited | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 17/02/2006 | 02/02/2018 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee and debenture | 1 property | 07/03/2003 | 18/04/2013 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Deed of charge over credit balances | 1 property | 07/03/2003 | 18/04/2013 | |
| satisfied | Sand Aire Private Equity as Security Trustee Sand Aire Private Equity Limited as Security Trustee | Composite guarantee and debenture between (1) the chargor, london catering services (2003) limited and by word of mouth limited and (2) sand aire private equity limited | 1 property | 07/03/2003 | 19/11/2010 |
Recent filings (123 total)
gazette-dissolved-voluntary
gazette · GAZ2(A)
2019-07-09
gazette-notice-voluntary
gazette · GAZ1(A)
2019-04-23
dissolution-application-strike-off-company
dissolution · DS01
2019-04-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-01-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2018-08-06
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2018-02-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2018-01-15
legacy
capital · SH20
2018-01-11
capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figure
capital · SH19
2018-01-11
legacy
insolvency · CAP-SS
2018-01-11
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2018-01-11
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2018-01-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2017-08-15
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2017-01-03
mortgage-charge-part-both-with-charge-number
mortgage · MR05
2016-12-15