CAFE PROJECT
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
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 | 2024-08-31 | 2023-08-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 500 | 500 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
Corporate timeline (48 events)Click to expand
- 2025-08-13📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-05-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-13➖STEIN, Colin Norman Ralph, Sheriff resigneddirector
- 2024-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-08-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-05-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-08-27📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-08-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2020-08-27📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2020-08-01➖MORRISON, Maureen resigneddirector
- 2020-08-01➖TALBERT, Richard George resigneddirector
- 2020-05-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-08-07📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-06-12➕CARGILL, Ross appointeddirector
- 2019-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-08-07📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2018-07-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-08-23➖WHELAN, Nicholas resigneddirector
- 2015-11-26➕TALBERT, Richard George appointeddirector
- 2013-08-08➖MILLER, David John resigneddirector
- 2011-08-31➕WHELAN, Nicholas appointeddirector
- 2010-10-01➖CAMPBELL, Angela Jane resigneddirector
- 2010-10-01➕MILLER, David John appointeddirector
- 2009-07-08➖BEATTIE, Marion resigneddirector
- 2007-05-01➖SCORGIE, Irene Isabella resigneddirector
- 2007-02-27➕CAMPBELL, Angela Jane appointeddirector
- 2006-10-10➕MARTIN, Paul David appointeddirector
- 2006-01-24➖BARNES, Colin Rae resigneddirector
- 2005-08-17➕BEATTIE, Marion appointeddirector
- 2005-08-17➖BIRSE, Ann Forbes resigneddirector
- 2005-05-10➖VOIGT, Heinz Werner resigneddirector
- 2004-12-01➕THORNTONS LAW LLP appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2004-11-30➖MESSRS THORNTONS WS resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2004-06-22➕MCKEOWN, Anne Janette appointeddirector
- 2003-07-30➖WOOD, Lindsay resigneddirector
- 2002-08-02🏢Company incorporatedAs CAFE PROJECT
- 2002-08-02➕HARDIE, Paul Michael appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕MESSRS THORNTONS WS appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-08-02➕BARNES, Colin Rae appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕BIRSE, Ann Forbes appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕MORRISON, Maureen appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕SCORGIE, Irene Isabella appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕STEIN, Colin Norman Ralph, Sheriff appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕VOIGT, Heinz Werner appointeddirector
- 2002-08-02➕WOOD, Lindsay appointeddirector
Owner dependency
Some founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.
- -4 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +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.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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
cleanShareholders & ownership
4 active beneficial owners · fragmented| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Paul Michael Hardie Individual · British · DOB 01/1980 · age 46 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Paul David Martin Individual · British · DOB 06/1965 · age 61 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
Miss Anne Janette Mckeown Individual · British · DOB 11/1969 · age 57 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
Sheriff Colin Norman Ralph Stein Individual · British · DOB 06/1948 · age 78 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Maureen Morrisonceased 01/08/2020· significant influence
- Richard George Talbertceased 01/08/2020· significant influence
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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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 →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 (5 active · 13 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.