THE SMALL SPIRITS COMPANY LIMITED
Opportunity 70/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. 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 (58/100).
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 2.1y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Newest facility, 2.1 years old — likely still in initial term.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (81/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key 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 | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 10 | — |
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
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 mortgage
Corporate timeline (19 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-11-27📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-11-27🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2025-09-08📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-09-05🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Balapan (Investments) Limited
- 2025-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-04-24🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2024-11-19📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-11-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Leesland LTD
- 2024-04-12📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-03-28🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Finbiz Funding Limited
- 2024-03-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-18📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2022-10-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-28📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2020-12-29🏢Company incorporatedAs THE SMALL SPIRITS COMPANY LIMITED
- 2020-12-29➕SUTHERLAND, Graeme appointeddirector
- 2020-12-29📄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 5 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 ·Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Graeme Sutherland Individual · British · DOB 11/1979 · age 47 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 29/12/2020 |
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.
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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 →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 | Balapan (Investments) Balapan (Investments) Limited | A registered charge | — | 05/09/2025 | — | |
| satisfied | Leesland Leesland LTD | A registered charge | — | 08/11/2024 | 27/11/2025 | |
| satisfied | Finbiz Funding Finbiz Funding Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 28/03/2024 | 24/04/2025 |