ASHLEY HOUSE PRINTING COMPANY LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
05333142 · ltd · incorporated 2005-01-14
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 21.2y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 18129
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 63-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (80/100, director aged 63). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

3 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 21.2y

50/100
clean up first

Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.

  • · Oldest live charge is 21.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (3 active, 9 linked, 3 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
74 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.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£20k£41k£61k£81k£101kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Cash—£83.5k
Net assets—£101.3k
Average employees1600—

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
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (36 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-10-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-08-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-11-07
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2023-03-20
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  5. 2023-03-20
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  6. 2022-12-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-11-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2020-12-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2020-11-20
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  10. 2020-11-20
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  11. 2019-12-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2018-12-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2017-12-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2016-12-14
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  15. 2016-12-01
    ➕
    OTTON, Lucy appointed
    director
  16. 2016-10-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  17. 2016-01-18
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  18. 2015-07-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  19. 2015-03-03
    ➕
    OTTON, Lucy appointed
    secretary
  20. 2014-12-16
    ➖
    OTTON, Deborah resigned
    secretary
  21. 2014-08-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Lombard North Central PLC
  22. 2012-01-09
    ➕
    OTTON, Deborah appointed
    secretary
  23. 2012-01-09
    ➖
    SNOW, Jackie resigned
    secretary
  24. 2007-11-13
    ➖
    OTTON, Deborah Jayne resigned
    secretary
  25. 2007-11-13
    ➕
    SNOW, Jackie appointed
    secretary
  26. 2005-04-07
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  27. 2005-04-06
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  28. 2005-01-14
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ASHLEY HOUSE PRINTING COMPANY LIMITED
  29. 2005-01-14
    ➕
    OTTON, Robert appointed
    director
  30. 2005-01-14
    ➕
    OTTON, Deborah Jayne appointed
    secretary
  31. 2005-01-14
    ➕
    TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  32. 2005-01-14
    ➖
    TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  33. 2005-01-14
    ➕
    OTTON, Deborah Jayne appointed
    director
  34. 2005-01-14
    ➖
    OTTON, Deborah Jayne resigned
    director
  35. 2005-01-14
    ➕
    COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  36. 2005-01-14
    ➖
    COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

84/100
Critical — business is the founder

The 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 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 63. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 21 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

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Robert Otton
Individual · British · DOB 06/1963 · age 63
25–50%
25–50%board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control14/01/2017
Mrs Lucy Otton
Individual · British · DOB 05/1974 · age 52
25–50%
25–50%board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control14/01/2017

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 · Manufacturing · EX postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
A. W. BENT LIMITED→
00423794 · est 1946 · no financials extracted
————79y——
ALTIRA AEROTECH LIMITED→
16453447 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
AMMOTTO LTD→
15521514 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————2y——
ANDREW PINDAR LTD→
08364993 · est 2013 · no financials extracted
————13y——
APE INDUSTRIES CO LTD→
11271567 · est 2018 · no financials extracted
————8y——
ARBOR & COVE LIMITED→
15636663 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————2y——
ARIES MACHINE SERVICES LTD→
10996124 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
————8y——
ASHFIELD PRODUCTS LTD.→
06614187 · est 2008 · no financials extracted
————17y——
ASHWATER FORGE AND FOUNDRY LIMITED→
01593293 · est 1981 · no financials extracted
————44y——
ASHWOOD PRODUCTS LIMITED→
07846308 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
ASHWOODS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED→
07852863 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
ASHWOODS LIGHTFOOT LIMITED→
08287918 · est 2012 · no financials extracted
————13y——
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

6 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
Incorporated2005-01-14
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC18129 — SIC 18129

Registered office

1-3 Swallow Units Alphinbrook Road
Marsh Barton
Exeter
Devon
EX2 8QF

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-27
Last: 2026-01-13

Officers (3 active · 6 resigned)

OTTON, Lucy→
secretary · appointed 2015-03-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
OTTON, Lucy→
director · ~52y · appointed 2016-12-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
OTTON, Robert→
director · ~63y · appointed 2005-01-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
OTTON, Deborah→
secretary · appointed 2012-01-09 · resigned 2014-12-16
Resigned
OTTON, Deborah Jayne→
secretary · appointed 2005-01-14 · resigned 2007-11-13
Resigned
SNOW, Jackie→
secretary · appointed 2007-11-13 · resigned 2012-01-09
Resigned
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2005-01-14 · resigned 2005-01-14
Resigned
OTTON, Deborah Jayne→
director · ~65y · appointed 2005-01-14 · resigned 2005-01-14
Resigned
COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2005-01-14 · resigned 2005-01-14
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Lombard North Central
Lombard North Central PLC
A registered charge—08/08/201420/11/2020
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Legal charge2 properties07/04/200503/07/2015
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Debenture1 property06/04/2005—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (74 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-11-07
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-03-20
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-03-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-11-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-12-22
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2020-11-20