CAKEHEAD LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
05145491 · ltd · incorporated 2004-06-04
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Manufacture of bread; manufacture of fresh pastry goods and cakes
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 75-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 75). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. 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 17.5y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 17.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: low (54/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
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
5 officers (3 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
71 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
3
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
3
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-23📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-04-23📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-27📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-09-27🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2024-09-26📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-09-25🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Cynergy Business Finance Limited
- 2024-04-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-27📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-04-20🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Metro Bank PLC
- 2022-03-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-10📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-03-02🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Metro Bank PLC
- 2022-01-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2022-01-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2022-01-24🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2022-01-24🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2022-01-18📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-01-17🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Sme Invoice Finance Limited
- 2021-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2020-07-07📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2020-07-03🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
- 2019-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2009-01-05🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2004-06-04🏢Company incorporatedAs CAKEHEAD LIMITED
- 2004-06-04➕FINNEGAN, Helen appointedsecretary
- 2004-06-04➕FINNEGAN, Christopher James appointeddirector
- 2004-06-04➕FINNEGAN, Helen appointeddirector
- 2004-06-04➕TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2004-06-04➖TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2004-06-04➕COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2004-06-04➖COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
91/100
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 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 75 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
96/100
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 75 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- 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.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Helen Jane Finnegan Individual · British · DOB 09/1964 · age 62 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 04/06/2016 |
Mr Christopher James Finnegan Individual · British · DOB 12/1951 · age 75 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 04/06/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Food & drink · LE postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAKER ST HOLDINGS LTD→ 12932753 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BANGIN' FOODS LIMITED→ 16467739 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BLOCK FOODS LIMITED→ 14861201 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BODEN BAKES LTD→ 12194905 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BOUVERIE LODGE QUALITY FOODS LIMITED→ 03844646 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| BRAMBLE FOODS LIMITED→ 06426069 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| BROCKLEBY'S LTD→ 16055227 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BURGER BAGS LIMITED→ 15336189 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BUTTERBRÛLÉE LTD→ 13186036 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| CAKE’D COUTURE LTD→ 16961804 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CARIBE ESSENTIALS LTD→ 13838374 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| CASABLANCA CAFÉ LEICESTER LTD→ 14211360 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2004-06-04
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC10710 — Manufacture of bread; manufacture of fresh pastry goods and cakes
Registered office
5 Saddlers Court
Barleythorpe
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 7GH
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-06-18
Last: 2026-06-04
Officers (3 active · 2 resigned)
Active
FINNEGAN, Christopher James→
Activedirector · ~75y · appointed 2004-06-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FINNEGAN, Helen→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2004-06-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2004-06-04 · resigned 2004-06-04
COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2004-06-04 · resigned 2004-06-04
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
3
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Cynergy Business Finance Cynergy Business Finance Limited | A registered charge | 6 properties | 25/09/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | Metro Bank Metro Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 20/04/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | Metro Bank Metro Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 02/03/2022 | — | |
| satisfied | Sme Invoice Finance Sme Invoice Finance Limited | A registered charge | — | 17/01/2022 | 27/09/2024 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Security Trustee Limited | A registered charge | — | 03/07/2020 | 24/01/2022 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 05/01/2009 | 24/01/2022 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (71 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-06-19
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-04-23
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-04-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2025-12-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-12-16
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-09-27
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-09-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-04-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-06-15
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-04-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-03-30