ACORN DEVELOPMENTS SW (DEVON) LTD
Opportunity 66/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: distressed disposal / insolvency (65/100).
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 5.2y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 5.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (83/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredKey financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-11-30 | 2023-11-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | £2 | £2 |
| Net assets | £-230.1k | £-147.7k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
3 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
Corporate timeline (23 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-10📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-09-10📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2025-09-10📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-09-08📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-09-08📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-09-05🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Downing LLP
- 2025-09-05🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Severn Bridging LTD
- 2025-09-05🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Severn Bridging LTD
- 2025-08-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-21📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2021-03-26📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2021-03-18📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2021-03-12🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Charles Philip Simcoe Esmond-Cole, Jason Charles Esmond-Cole and Charlotte Victoria Esmond-Cole
- 2021-03-12🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Paragon Development Finance Limited
- 2020-11-06📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2019-08-26📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2019-08-23🏢Company incorporatedAs ACORN DEVELOPMENTS SW (DEVON) LTD
- 2019-08-23➕THOMAS, Mark Peter appointeddirector
- 2019-08-23📄incorporation-companyincorporation · NEWINC
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.
- +No director turnover: Company is 7 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
1 med · 1 lowHeavy recent charge activity can indicate refinancing pressure, aggressive leverage, or multiple lender rotation.
Evidence: 2025-09-05: A registered charge; 2025-09-05: A registered charge; 2025-09-05: A registered charge
Heavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Mark Peter Thomas Individual · British · DOB 06/1978 · age 48 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 23/08/2019 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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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9 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 · 0 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Downing Downing LLP | A registered charge | 1 property | 05/09/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Severn Bridging Severn Bridging LTD | A registered charge | 1 property | 05/09/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Severn Bridging Severn Bridging LTD | A registered charge | 1 property | 05/09/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Charles Philip Simcoe Esmond-Cole, Jason Charles Esmond-Cole and Charlotte Victoria Esmond-Cole | A registered charge | 1 property | 12/03/2021 | — | |
| outstanding | Paragon Paragon Development Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 12/03/2021 | — |