BICKERSTAFF FISHING COMPANY LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04957438 · ltd · incorporated 2003-11-07
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
£1.95M
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 03110
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 72-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 72). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -31% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 14.5y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 14.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (1 active, 6 linked, 2 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
4 connected companies via shared directors
57
Filing history
64 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 £1,945,582
Cash YoY
-31%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£536k
↓ 31% YoY
Net Worth
£1.9m
↑ 3.3% YoY
Current Assets
£2.1m
↑ 5.6% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-02-28 | 2024-02-29 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £2.02M | £1.96M |
| Current assets | £2.10M | £1.99M |
| Cash | £535.6k | £776.7k |
| Debtors | £1.57M | £1.21M |
| Net assets | £1.95M | £1.88M |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 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 (29 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-02-25📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2019-12-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-12-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-06📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2016-09-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2016-09-17🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2016-07-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-12-03📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2011-11-21🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2011-11-01➖BICKERSTAFF, Kerry Ann resignedsecretary
- 2006-11-10➕BICKERSTAFF, Kerry Ann appointedsecretary
- 2006-11-10➖BICKERSTAFF, William Valentine resignedsecretary
- 2006-11-10➖BICKERSTAFF, William Valentine resigneddirector
- 2003-11-07🏢Company incorporatedAs BICKERSTAFF FISHING COMPANY LIMITED
- 2003-11-07➕BICKERSTAFF, Ian Dennis appointeddirector
- 2003-11-07➕BICKERSTAFF, William Valentine appointedsecretary
- 2003-11-07➕LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-11-07➖LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-11-07➕BICKERSTAFF, William Valentine appointeddirector
- 2003-11-07➕LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2003-11-07➖LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
100/100
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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "BICKERSTAFF" — 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 72 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
100/100
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 72 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Ian Dennis Bickerstaff Individual · British · DOB 05/1954 · age 72 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/11/2016 |
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 · Agriculture · BN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. STEMN ORGANISATION LTD→ 13421354 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ADUR OYSTER COMPANY LTD→ 13847974 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| APIARY BY BELL LTD→ 13329815 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ATHERALLS FARMS LIMITED→ 01834578 · est 1984 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 41y | — | — |
| BARKER TREE SURGERY LTD→ 14404821 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BARTON PEST CONTROL LTD→ 16667781 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BENNU SERVICES LTD→ 11220699 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BEVERNBRIDGE STABLES LIMITED→ 06137332 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| BINSTED FARMS LIMITED→ 00590446 · est 1957 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 68y | — | — |
| BLACKBERRY FARM (SUSSEX) LTD→ 11110544 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BLUE LIGHT FISHERIES LIMITED→ 15937837 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BOLNEY NURSERY LIMITED→ 02082294 · est 1986 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 39y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2003-11-07
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC03110 — SIC 03110
Registered office
12a Marlborough Place
Brighton
BN1 1WN
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-20
Last: 2025-11-06
Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)
BICKERSTAFF, Ian Dennis→
Activedirector · ~72y · appointed 2003-11-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BICKERSTAFF, Kerry Ann→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2006-11-10 · resigned 2011-11-01
BICKERSTAFF, William Valentine→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-11-07 · resigned 2006-11-10
LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-11-07 · resigned 2003-11-07
BICKERSTAFF, William Valentine→
Resigneddirector · ~86y · appointed 2003-11-07 · resigned 2006-11-10
LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2003-11-07 · resigned 2003-11-07
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee & debenture | 1 property | 21/11/2011 | 17/09/2016 |
Recent filings (64 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-11-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-11-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-06-07
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2021-02-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-11-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-12-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-11-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-05-31