A LAYFIELD FARMS LTD
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 62/100. 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. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 2.7y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Newest facility, 2.7 years old — likely still in initial term.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 1 | 100 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
Corporate timeline (19 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-30📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-01-30📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-01-30🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2025-01-30🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2024-12-21📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-12-16📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-12-06🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Elizabeth Anne Lewington
- 2024-12-06🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Elizabeth Anne Lewington
- 2024-09-13📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-09-10🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
- 2024-09-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-08📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-11-06🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
- 2023-02-06📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-01-31📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2022-11-01🏢Company incorporatedAs A LAYFIELD FARMS LTD
- 2022-11-01➕LAYFIELD, Richard Alistair appointeddirector
- 2022-11-01📄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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "LAYFIELD" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Richard Alistair Layfield Individual · British · DOB 05/1965 · age 61 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 01/11/2022 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Elizabeth Anne Lewington / Mary Jane Myers-Lewis | A registered charge | 1 property | 06/12/2024 | 30/01/2025 | |
| satisfied | Elizabeth Anne Lewington / Mary Jane Myers-Lewis | A registered charge | 1 property | 06/12/2024 | 30/01/2025 | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Security Trustee Limited | A registered charge | 2 properties | 10/09/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Security Trustee Limited | A registered charge | — | 06/11/2023 | — |