BIG APPLE ENTERTAINMENTS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
05852039 · ltd · incorporated 2006-06-20
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
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 19.7y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
76/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other amusement and recreation activities n.e.c.
Sector: Arts, entertainment & recreation
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 71). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: 2 insolvency-related filings on record. Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 19.7y
65/100
clean up first
Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (60/100)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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (3 active, 7 linked, 4 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
14 connected companies via shared directors
87
Filing history
89 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
76/100Strong
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
67
Some moderate concerns — review 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
4
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-27📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2026-05-27📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-04-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-24📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2023-04-24📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2023-04-24⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2023-04-24📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2023-04-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-19📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2022-06-24📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2022-06-24📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2022-06-24⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2022-06-24📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2021-10-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2020-01-30📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2017-12-15➖ARMITAGE, Richard Beverley resigneddirector
- 2017-12-15➖SMITH, Michael Edward resigneddirector
- 2014-05-06➕ARMITAGE, Richard Beverley appointeddirector
- 2007-02-07➕SMITH, Michael Edward appointeddirector
- 2006-11-15🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 2006-09-01➕MOSS, Duncan Geoffrey Frank appointedsecretary
- 2006-09-01➕APPLETON, Michael Richard Erle appointeddirector
- 2006-09-01➕MOSS, Duncan Geoffrey Frank appointeddirector
- 2006-09-01➖FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2006-09-01➖FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2006-06-20🏢Company incorporatedAs BIG APPLE ENTERTAINMENTS LIMITED
- 2006-06-20➕FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2006-06-20➕FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
83/100
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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 71 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
89/100
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 71 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 20 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 high ·2 insolvency-related filings on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2023-04-24: legacy; 2022-06-24: legacy
Group structure
Big Apple Entertainments (Holdings) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Big Apple Entertainments (Holdings) Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
BIG APPLE ENTERTAINMENTS LIMITED
This company · 05852039
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Apple Entertainments (Holdings) Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 29/06/2022 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Michael Richard Erle Appletonceased 29/06/2022· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG MANAGEMENT LTD→ 15253389 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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| BCP COMPETITIONS LTD→ 16893132 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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| BH14 TRAVEL LIMITED→ 15989060 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BIG CULTURE MUSIC LTD→ 10438736 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
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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
Incorporated2006-06-20
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC93290 — Other amusement and recreation activities n.e.c.
Registered office
Potterne House, 1 Potterne Way
Wimborne
Dorset
BH21 6RS
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last made up to: 2025-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-07-04
Last: 2026-06-20
Officers (3 active · 4 resigned)
MOSS, Duncan Geoffrey Frank→
Activesecretary · appointed 2006-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
APPLETON, Michael Richard Erle→
Activedirector · ~67y · appointed 2006-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MOSS, Duncan Geoffrey Frank→
Activedirector · ~71y · appointed 2006-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2006-06-20 · resigned 2006-09-01
ARMITAGE, Richard Beverley→
Resigneddirector · ~84y · appointed 2014-05-06 · resigned 2017-12-15
SMITH, Michael Edward→
Resigneddirector · ~79y · appointed 2007-02-07 · resigned 2017-12-15
FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2006-06-20 · resigned 2006-09-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Debenture | 1 property | 15/11/2006 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (89 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-07-14
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2026-05-27
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-05-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2026-04-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2025-04-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2024-04-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-05
capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figure
capital · SH19
2023-04-24
legacy
capital · SH20
2023-04-24
legacy
insolvency · CAP-SS
2023-04-24
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2023-04-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-04-11
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2022-08-19