BLAKEMORE WHOLESALE LTD
Company number 01592719 · Monitor this company
This analysis was written by an AI from the company's public filings. It may contain errors or omissions and is not financial or professional advice.
Financial Health Assessment: BLAKEMORE WHOLESALE LTD
1. Financial Health Score: Grade D-
This company is effectively in a comatose state — legally alive but functionally dormant. While there are no immediate symptoms of financial distress (no debts, no legal actions, no overdue filings), the complete absence of trading activity, minimal capital, and dormant status indicate this entity serves no active commercial purpose.
2. Key Vital Signs
| Vital Sign | Reading | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Company Status | Active | Legally registered but clinically inactive |
| Accounts Category | Dormant | No significant financial transactions — the business heartbeat has flatlined |
| Share Capital | £2.00 | Minimum nominal capital — essentially life support |
| SIC Code | 74990 (Non-trading) | Confirms no active trading operations |
| Filing Compliance | Up to date | Healthy administrative hygiene |
| PSC | AF Blakemore & Son Ltd (right to appoint/remove directors) | Subsidiary under parent group control |
| Previous Name | Blakemore Cash & Carry Ltd (changed 2014) | Historical trading identity abandoned |
3. Diagnosis
Condition: Dormant Shell Entity — A Holding Vessel Within a Larger Corporate Body
The clinical picture is straightforward. This patient is in a persistent vegetative state:
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No trading pulse: The dormant accounts classification and "Non-trading" SIC code confirm zero commercial activity. The company generates no revenue, holds no trading assets, and conducts no operations.
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Historical context: The 2014 name change from "Blakemore Cash & Carry Limited" suggests a strategic pivot or restructuring. The Cash & Carry operations may have been absorbed into the parent company or wound down entirely, with this entity retained as a shell — perhaps for legacy brand protection, intellectual property holding, or future restructuring purposes.
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Parent dependency: AF Blakemore & Son Ltd exercises control through the right to appoint and remove directors. This entity is entirely dependent on its parent's life support system — it has no independent existence.
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Multiple directors on a dormant company: The presence of several current directors (including operations and company directors) may seem unusual for a dormant entity, but this is common within group structures where directors serve across multiple subsidiaries.
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No symptoms of distress: Importantly, there are no red flags — no overdue filings, no disqualification orders against directors, no liquidation proceedings, no debts. The patient is stable, just inactive.
4. Recommendations
For the Parent Company (AF Blakemore & Son Ltd):
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Strategic Review: Evaluate whether this entity serves a legitimate ongoing purpose (brand protection, future restructuring vehicle, IP holding). If not, consider voluntary strike-off to reduce administrative overhead and Companies House filing obligations.
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Cost-Benefit Analysis: Even dormant companies incur compliance costs — confirmation statements, registered office maintenance, director responsibilities. Quantify these versus any retained value.
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Group Structure Optimisation: If the entity is retained, ensure its purpose is documented and understood by the board, particularly given the parent's scale as "one of the largest family-owned businesses in the UK."
For Creditors/Stakeholders:
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No Cause for Concern: The dormant status poses no risk. However, do not interpret this entity as a trading counterparty — no transactions should be expected.
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Due Diligence Note: Any engagement should be directed to the active parent company, AF Blakemore & Son Ltd, not this shell entity.