BROWNE'S CHOCOLATES LIMITED
Opportunity 44/100 (watch), bankability 20/100. 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: File overdue accounts. Clears statutory overdue flag — immediate bankability uplift for refinance conversations. Most likely exit: asset disposal / carve-out (55/100). Current lenders should be on immediate intervention.
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 19.9y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: low (48/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Not actionable now, but monitor — distressed, succession, or structural changes could flip this into a real opportunity.
Recent activity
Corporate timeline (41 events)Click to expand
- 2017-08-22📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2017-08-22📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2017-08-11➖MCGONNELL, Karl Thomas resignedsecretary
- 2017-08-11➖MCGONNELL, Karl Thomas resigneddirector
- 2014-03-18📄restoration-order-of-courtrestoration · AC92
- 2012-09-12⚠️gazette-dissolved-liquidationgazette · GAZ2
- 2012-06-12⚠️liquidation-voluntary-creditors-return-of-final-meetinginsolvency · 4.72
- 2012-05-01⚠️liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-receipts-and-payments-with-brought-down-dateinsolvency · 4.68
- 2012-02-13📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-addressaddress · AD01
- 2011-09-12⚠️liquidation-miscellaneousinsolvency · LIQ MISC
- 2011-07-21⚠️liquidation-court-order-miscellaneousinsolvency · LIQ MISC OC
- 2011-07-21⚠️liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidatorinsolvency · 600
- 2011-07-21⚠️liquidation-voluntary-cease-to-act-as-liquidatorinsolvency · 4.40
- 2011-04-07⚠️liquidation-disclaimer-noticeinsolvency · F10.2
- 2011-03-24⚠️liquidation-voluntary-appointment-of-liquidatorinsolvency · 600
- 2011-03-24⚠️liquidation-voluntary-statement-of-affairs-with-form-attachedinsolvency · 4.20
- 2011-03-24📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2011-03-08📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-addressaddress · AD01
- 2011-02-09📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2010-05-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2010-01-19📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2010-01-19📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2010-01-19📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2009-10-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2009-01-13📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2008-06-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2008-01-03📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2007-06-18➖LEWIS, Arnold Douglas resigneddirector
- 2006-10-16🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
- 2006-09-08➖CUTHBERTSON, Simon Mark resignedsecretary
- 2006-09-08➕MCGONNELL, Karl Thomas appointedsecretary
- 2006-09-08➕MCGONNELL, Karl Thomas appointeddirector
- 2006-09-05🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2005-09-05➕WHITE, Wendy Dawn appointeddirector
- 2004-12-22➕CUTHBERTSON, Simon Mark appointedsecretary
- 2004-12-22➖EMW SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2004-12-22➕LEWIS, Arnold Douglas appointeddirector
- 2004-12-22➖EMW DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
- 2004-12-06🏢Company incorporatedAs BROWNE'S CHOCOLATES LIMITED
- 2004-12-06➕EMW SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2004-12-06➕EMW DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 21 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 · 1 med ·Statutory accounts have not been filed by their due date. Can indicate admin breakdown, cash preservation, or deliberate delay.
Evidence: Next due: 2011-05-31
Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2016-12-20
Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2012-09-12: gazette-dissolved-liquidation; 2012-06-12: liquidation-voluntary-creditors-return-of-final-meeting
Companies House flags prior insolvency events. Review the insolvency filings for context.
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
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12 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.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (1 active · 6 resigned)
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Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance Limited | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 16/10/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 05/09/2006 | — |