A H FREEMANTLE LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04690394 · ltd · incorporated 2003-03-07
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
£580.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Funeral and related activities
Sector: Other service activities
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 80-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 80). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -58% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · oldest 9.1y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 9.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.
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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (4 active, 7 linked, 4 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 5 total, 5 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
74 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
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
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £580,490
Cash draining
Cash down 58% YoY
Cash YoY
-58%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£13k
↓ 58% YoY
Net Worth
£580k
↑ 1.7% YoY
Current Assets
£275k
~ YoY
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £1.06M | £962.5k |
| Current assets | £275.0k | £276.3k |
| Cash | £12.6k | £30.4k |
| Debtors | £262.4k | £246.0k |
| Net assets | £580.5k | £571.1k |
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
4
filings
- • 3 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-19📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-02-19📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-02-19📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-11-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-17📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-03-11📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-03-11📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2020-12-11➖FREEMANTLE, John Douglas resigneddirector
- 2020-09-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-22📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-09-18➕KEEN, Kate Patricia appointeddirector
- 2019-08-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-09-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-19🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2017-06-02🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2011-01-01➕KEEN, James Thomas appointeddirector
- 2003-03-07🏢Company incorporatedAs A H FREEMANTLE LIMITED
- 2003-03-07➕FREEMANTLE, Carole Anne appointedsecretary
- 2003-03-07➕FREEMANTLE, Carole Anne appointeddirector
- 2003-03-07➕SAME-DAY COMPANY SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-03-07➖SAME-DAY COMPANY SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-03-07➕FREEMANTLE, John Douglas appointeddirector
- 2003-03-07➕WILDMAN & BATTELL LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2003-03-07➖WILDMAN & BATTELL LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
98/100
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
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "FREEMANTLE" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 80 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
90/100
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 80 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Carole Ann Freemantle Individual · British · DOB 12/1946 · age 80 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
4 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr James Thomas Keenceased 19/02/2026· board control
- Miss Elizabeth Freemantleceased 19/02/2026· significant influence
- Miss Kate Freemantleceased 19/02/2026· significant influence
- Mr John Douglas Freemantleceased 11/12/2020· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control
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 · Trade services · PO postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A FROST DESIGN LIMITED→ 10251421 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| A H RAHMANI LTD→ 08835827 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| A. F. COOPER 1962 LTD→ 16546276 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A.I.M.S. PRECISION LTD.→ 03245242 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| ACE CATERING ENGINEERS LTD→ 04842114 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| ACEI POOLS LIMITED→ 16949968 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ACETHETIC LTD→ 12041877 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ACRE LAWN TURF LIMITED→ 10881714 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ADELTA PLUMBING & HEATING LTD→ 10781334 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ADMIRAL COMMERCIAL CLEANING GROUP LTD→ 12446538 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ADVANCE SALES SERVICES UK LIMITED→ 05578403 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ADVANCED COOLING SERVICES LIMITED→ 06301952 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2003-03-07
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC96030 — Funeral and related activities
Registered office
46 South Street
Titchfield
Fareham
Hants
PO14 4DY
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-21
Last: 2026-03-07
Officers (4 active · 3 resigned)
FREEMANTLE, Carole Anne→
Activesecretary · appointed 2003-03-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FREEMANTLE, Carole Anne→
Activedirector · ~80y · appointed 2003-03-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
KEEN, James Thomas→
Activedirector · ~55y · appointed 2011-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
KEEN, Kate Patricia→
Activedirector · ~47y · appointed 2019-09-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SAME-DAY COMPANY SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-03-07 · resigned 2003-03-07
FREEMANTLE, John Douglas→
Resigneddirector · ~80y · appointed 2003-03-07 · resigned 2020-12-11
WILDMAN & BATTELL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2003-03-07 · resigned 2003-03-07
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Bank of Scotland PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/07/2017 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Bank of Scotland PLC | A registered charge | — | 02/06/2017 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (74 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-25
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-02-19
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-02-19
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-02-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-11-10
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-25
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-05-17
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-23
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-29