ASHCROFT BOOKMAKERS LIMITED
Opportunity 43/100 (watch), bankability 40/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Confirmation statement overdue. Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal. Most likely exit: distressed disposal / insolvency (65/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (76/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Not actionable now, but monitor — distressed, succession, or structural changes could flip this into a real opportunity.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 400 | 400 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
- • 2 insolvency
- • 1 address
- • 1 resolution
- • 2 insolvency
- • 1 address
- • 1 resolution
Corporate timeline (24 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-17📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2026-04-17⚠️liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-affairsinsolvency · LIQ02
- 2026-04-17⚠️liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidatorinsolvency · 600
- 2026-04-17📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-12-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-01-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-11-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-11-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-05-04📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-08-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2004-03-19🏢Company incorporatedAs ASHCROFT BOOKMAKERS LIMITED
- 2004-03-19➕ASHCROFT, Paul Jonathan appointedsecretary
- 2004-03-19➕ASHCROFT, Kathryn Clare appointeddirector
- 2004-03-19➕ASHCROFT, Paul Jonathan appointeddirector
- 2004-03-19➕TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2004-03-19➖TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2004-03-19➕COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2004-03-19➖COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "ASHCROFT" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 22 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
3 high ·Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2026-04-02
Company is actively being wound up. Not a going concern.
Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2026-04-17: liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-affairs; 2026-04-17: liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidator
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Paul Jonathan Ashcroft Individual · British · DOB 02/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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10 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 →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.
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Registered office
Filing status
Officers (3 active · 2 resigned)
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