ASHBURTON GROUP LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
06968861 · ltd · incorporated 2009-07-21
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.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Jan 2025
Net worth
£602.7k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of head offices
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 78-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 78). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 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 · 3 lenders · oldest 13.4y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 13.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: high (83/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (4 active, 6 linked, 5 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
4 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
11 connected companies via shared directors
78
Filing history
73 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £602,739
Net assets shrinking
Down £67,214 YoY
Cash YoY
+23%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£126k
↑ 23% YoY
Net Worth
£603k
↓ 10% YoY
Current Assets
£232k
↓ 77% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £832.2k | £912.8k |
| Current assets | £231.7k | £1.02M |
| Cash | £126.4k | £103.2k |
| Debtors | £105.3k | £915.7k |
| Net assets | £602.7k | £670.0k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals 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 mortgage
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-16📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-02-16🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2025-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-10📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-05-10📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2022-05-09📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2021-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2020-02-07📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2020-02-07🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2019-10-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-08📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2019-04-08🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2018-11-07📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2018-11-07🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2018-10-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2017-09-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-03📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2017-07-17🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Ignition Credit Limited
- 2016-06-30🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2013-03-19🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2013-03-19🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2013-03-01🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2012-07-01➕CRABTREE, Jason Richard appointeddirector
- 2010-06-29➕HOSEGROVE, Darrin John appointeddirector
- 2010-06-29➕WEST-HARLING, Stella Lindsay appointeddirector
- 2009-10-01➕O'NIONS, Dominic Henry appointeddirector
- 2009-07-21🏢Company incorporatedAs ASHBURTON GROUP LIMITED
- 2009-07-21➕TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2009-07-21➖TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2009-07-21➕KAHAN, Barbara appointeddirector
- 2009-07-21➖KAHAN, Barbara resigneddirector
Owner dependency
65/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- -4 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 17 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 78 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
83/100
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 78 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 17 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 17 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
4 active beneficial owners · fragmented| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Stella West-Harling Mbe Individual · British · DOB 03/1948 · age 78 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Dominic Henry O'Nions Individual · British · DOB 03/1970 · age 56 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Darrin John Hosegrove Individual · British · DOB 04/1969 · age 57 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Jason Richard Crabtree Individual · British · DOB 11/1975 · age 51 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
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 · Professional services · TQ postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQTAS LTD→ 14394383 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AQUA-TECH CONSULTANCY LTD→ 06786610 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| AQUALYTICA LIMITED→ 16916921 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARCHIMETRICS LTD→ 07842794 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ARENBROCK LIMITED→ 01249170 · est 1976 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 50y | — | — |
| ASH FUTURES LIMITED→ 07769553 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ASHDOWN PROJECT SERVICES LIMITED→ 13707726 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ASIAN RESTAURANT OWNERS NETWORK LIMITED→ 10774097 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ASYMMETRIC ADVISORY LTD→ 16988482 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ASYMMETRIC INSIGHTS LTD→ 16706886 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ASYMMETRIC LTD→ 14424695 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ATB ACCOUNTANCY AND TAXATION SERVICES LTD→ 07964622 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2009-07-21
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC70100 — Activities of head offices
Registered office
Ashburton Cookery School Old Exeter Road
Ashburton
Newton Abbot
Devon
TQ13 7LG
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-04
Last: 2025-07-21
Officers (4 active · 2 resigned)
CRABTREE, Jason Richard→
Activedirector · ~51y · appointed 2012-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOSEGROVE, Darrin John→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 2010-06-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
O'NIONS, Dominic Henry→
Activedirector · ~56y · appointed 2009-10-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WEST-HARLING, Stella Lindsay→
Activedirector · ~78y · appointed 2010-06-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2009-07-21 · resigned 2009-07-21
KAHAN, Barbara→
Resigneddirector · ~95y · appointed 2009-07-21 · resigned 2009-07-21
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 | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 07/11/2018 | — | |
| outstanding | Ignition Credit Ignition Credit Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 17/07/2017 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 30/06/2016 | 07/02/2020 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage deed | 1 property | 19/03/2013 | 16/02/2026 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage deed | 1 property | 19/03/2013 | 08/04/2019 | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 01/03/2013 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (73 total)
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-02-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-10-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-10-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-10-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-08
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2022-05-10
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2022-05-10
capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-shares
capital · SH10
2022-05-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2021-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-07-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2020-09-10