ADBRO LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04742468 · ltd · incorporated 2003-04-23
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Jul 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Licenced restaurants
Sector: Accommodation & food service
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 56302Public houses and bars
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 2 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · oldest 19.0y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (1 active, 7 linked, 4 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
79 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | -5500 | -5500 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2025-08-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-08📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2021-10-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-12📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-control-without-name-datepersons-with-significant-control · PSC06
- 2019-04-10📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2018-08-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-10-30📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2017-10-30📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2017-10-27📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2017-10-20📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2017-10-20📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2017-09-29➖ADSHEAD, Nicola Jane resignedsecretary
- 2017-09-29➖ADSHEAD, Jeremy Paul resigneddirector
- 2011-09-26🔒Charge registered #3Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2009-09-25🔒Charge registered #2Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2007-06-11🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2006-10-09➕MATTHEWS, Lee Alan appointeddirector
- 2004-06-20➕ADSHEAD, Nicola Jane appointedsecretary
- 2004-05-28➖BROADBENT, Robert David Victor resignedsecretary
- 2004-05-28➖BROADBENT, Robert David Victor resigneddirector
- 2003-04-23🏢Company incorporatedAs ADBRO LIMITED
- 2003-04-23➕BROADBENT, Robert David Victor appointedsecretary
- 2003-04-23➕DWYER, Daniel John appointednominee-secretary
- 2003-04-23➖DWYER, Daniel John resignednominee-secretary
- 2003-04-23➕ADSHEAD, Jeremy Paul appointeddirector
- 2003-04-23➕BROADBENT, Robert David Victor appointeddirector
- 2003-04-23➕DWYER, Daniel James appointednominee-director
- 2003-04-23➖DWYER, Daniel James resignednominee-director
Owner dependency
85/100
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
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
68/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Sowood Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Sowood Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
ADBRO LIMITED
This company · 04742468
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sowood Holdings Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 28/09/2017 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Jeremy Paul Adsheadceased 29/09/2017· 25-50% shares
- Mr Lee Alan Mathewsceased 29/09/2017· 25-50% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 THE VENUE LIMITED→ 08081494 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| 24HR SHOP AND MEALS LIMITED→ 17117124 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2AMICI LTD→ 16205087 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| A & A CATERING LTD→ 14604505 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AG BARS LTD→ 15750821 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AKHTARS RESTAURANT LTD→ 15932093 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALBIOLA CATERING LTD→ 13144900 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ALL PIZZETTO 2 LTD→ 14543699 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALMA ON THE HILL LIMITED→ 15420708 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ALPHA HOUSE CALDERDALE→ 06653956 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| AMMANS FAST FOOD LTD→ 14492927 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AMMONITE199 LIMITED→ 15836166 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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
Incorporated2003-04-23
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC56101 — Licenced restaurants
Registered office
The Sportsmans Inn Rochdale Road
Greetland
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX4 8PL
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-04-30
Last made up to: 2025-07-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-07
Last: 2026-04-23
Officers (1 active · 6 resigned)
MATTHEWS, Lee Alan→
Activedirector · ~55y · appointed 2006-10-09
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ADSHEAD, Nicola Jane→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2004-06-20 · resigned 2017-09-29
BROADBENT, Robert David Victor→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-04-23 · resigned 2004-05-28
DWYER, Daniel John→
Resignednominee-secretary · appointed 2003-04-23 · resigned 2003-04-23
ADSHEAD, Jeremy Paul→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · appointed 2003-04-23 · resigned 2017-09-29
BROADBENT, Robert David Victor→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · appointed 2003-04-23 · resigned 2004-05-28
DWYER, Daniel James→
Resignednominee-director · ~51y · appointed 2003-04-23 · resigned 2003-04-23
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 26/09/2011 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 25/09/2009 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 11/06/2007 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (79 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-14
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-08-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-10-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-04-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-04-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-04-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-12-12