J. & L. LEISURE (AMUSEMENTS) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
01198554 · ltd · incorporated 1975-01-31
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
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
75/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Other service activities
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.

Opportunity 75/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. 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

4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 46.1y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 46.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (79/100)

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
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (2 active, 11 linked, 9 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
116 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
75/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
65
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Mar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Average employees900800

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

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

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (42 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-09-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-06-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-06-19
    📄
    second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-date
    confirmation-statement · RP04CS01
  4. 2024-06-18
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  5. 2024-06-18
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  6. 2024-06-11
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  7. 2024-06-11
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  8. 2023-07-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  9. 2023-03-03
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  10. 2023-03-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  11. 2022-11-14
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  12. 2022-11-07
    ➕
    SMITH, Emma Louise appointed
    director
  13. 2022-09-05
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  14. 2022-09-05
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  15. 2022-08-29
    ➖
    SMITH, Emma Louise resigned
    secretary
  16. 2022-08-29
    ➖
    SMITH, Emma Louise resigned
    director
  17. 2022-08-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  18. 2021-12-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  19. 2020-12-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  20. 2019-10-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  21. 2018-06-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  22. 2018-04-16
    ➕
    SMITH, Emma Louise appointed
    secretary
  23. 2018-04-16
    ➖
    SMITH, John resigned
    secretary
  24. 2018-04-16
    ➕
    SMITH, Emma Louise appointed
    director
  25. 2018-04-16
    ➖
    SMITH, John resigned
    director
  26. 2007-10-24
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  27. 2004-06-02
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  28. 2002-07-11
    ➖
    HOUGHTON, Richard Harold resigned
    director
  29. 2002-05-14
    ➕
    SMITH, James Jason appointed
    director
  30. 2000-12-04
    ➖
    HOUGHTON, Ellen resigned
    director
  31. 2000-03-22
    ➖
    SMITH, Lavinia resigned
    director
  32. 2000-01-05
    ➖
    COOPER, Elsie Cooper resigned
    director
  33. 1999-08-01
    ➖
    HOUGHTON, Harold Murphy resigned
    director
  34. 1994-02-14
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  35. 1993-08-10
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  36. 1991-11-01
    ➕
    HOUGHTON, Richard Harold appointed
    director
  37. 1991-09-17
    ➕
    SMITH, John appointed
    secretary
  38. 1987-01-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  39. 1984-04-12
    ➕
    SMITH, John appointed
    director
  40. 1980-04-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Midland Bank LTD
  41. 1975-01-31
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As J. & L. LEISURE (AMUSEMENTS) LIMITED
  42. 1975-01-31
    ➕
    HOUGHTON, Harold Murphy appointed
    director

Owner dependency

76/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.

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 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

26/100
Weak signal

Limited succession signal. Not a near-term off-market candidate.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — SMITH, Emma Louise (same surname) appointed 2022-11-07. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 51 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
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Group structure

J & L Leisure Property Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
J & L Leisure Property Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
J. & L. LEISURE (AMUSEMENTS) LIMITED
This company · 01198554

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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
J & L Leisure Property Holdings Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control30/01/2023
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr James Jason Smithceased 23/01/2023· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
  • Mr James Jason Smithceased 13/11/2017· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control

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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CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
PLEXUS CORP. SERVICES (UK) LIMITED→
SC468114 · est 2014
£16.06M
£12.04M–£20.07M
——012y8360y
BCCF ENVIRONMENTAL→
SC330453 · est 2007
——£0—18y8380y
BERWICK SWAN AND WILDLIFE TRUST→
03410432 · est 1997
———20028y8381y
BUSTON FARMS LIMITED→
01914408 · est 1985
———1641y8384y
THE HEATHERSLAW LIGHT RAILWAY CO LTD→
02257080 · est 1988
——£118.0k—38y8379y
ADDISON-ROSS LIMITED→
06547837 · est 2008
———3118y8269y
BORDER SAFEGUARD LIMITED→
SC069992 · est 1979
——£731.2k—46y8277y
GARDEN OPTIONS LIMITED→
SC278837 · est 2005
———80021y8258y
HOPEBURN LIMITED→
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04722309 · est 2003
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J. & G. CAMPBELL LIMITED→
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

6 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
Incorporated1975-01-31
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC96090 — Other service activities n.e.c.

Registered office

17 Walkergate
Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Northumberland
TD15 1DJ
United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-14
Last: 2025-10-31

Officers (2 active · 9 resigned)

SMITH, Emma Louise→
director · ~45y · appointed 2022-11-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SMITH, James Jason→
director · ~55y · appointed 2002-05-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SMITH, Emma Louise→
secretary · appointed 2018-04-16 · resigned 2022-08-29
Resigned
SMITH, John→
secretary · appointed 1991-09-17 · resigned 2018-04-16
Resigned
COOPER, Elsie Cooper→
director · ~91y · resigned 2000-01-05
Resigned
HOUGHTON, Ellen→
director · ~100y · resigned 2000-12-04
Resigned
HOUGHTON, Harold Murphy→
director · ~102y · appointed 1975-01-31 · resigned 1999-08-01
Resigned
HOUGHTON, Richard Harold→
director · ~69y · appointed 1991-11-01 · resigned 2002-07-11
Resigned
SMITH, Emma Louise→
director · ~45y · appointed 2018-04-16 · resigned 2022-08-29
Resigned
SMITH, John→
director · ~101y · appointed 1984-04-12 · resigned 2018-04-16
Resigned
SMITH, Lavinia→
director · ~99y · resigned 2000-03-22
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A standard security which was presented for registration in scotland1 property14/02/199424/10/2007
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Debenture1 property10/08/199302/06/2004
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Standard security presented for registration in scotland on 8/1/87.1 property08/01/198703/03/2023
outstanding
Midland Bank
Midland Bank LTD
Floating charge1 property30/04/1980—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (116 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-06-27
second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-date
confirmation-statement · RP04CS01
2024-06-19
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-06-18
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-06-18
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2024-06-11
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-06-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-07-26
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-25
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-11-14
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2022-09-05