Company Number: NI681449

Analysis Date: 2025-07-19 12:41 UTC

1. Industry Classification
   Roam (Belfast) Limited operates within the licenced restaurants sector, classified under SIC code 56101. This sector encompasses establishments licensed to serve alcoholic beverages alongside food, typically including pubs, bars, and full-service restaurants with alcohol licenses. Key characteristics of this sector include high sensitivity to consumer discretionary spending, regulatory compliance related to licensing laws, and intense competition on location, customer experience, and menu offerings.

2. Relative Performance
   Based on the financial data filed up to the year ending 31 August 2024, Roam (Belfast) Limited is a micro-sized entity with minimal net assets (£1) and limited fixed assets, operating with very tight working capital (net current assets of £1 in 2024). The company’s cash position has increased (£131k in 2024 vs £40k in 2023), but this is matched by almost equal current liabilities, indicating limited financial buffer or investment in growth assets. The absence of reported turnover figures limits a direct comparison to typical sector revenue benchmarks, but the small scale and minimal equity reflect a business at a nascent or maintenance stage rather than a growth or leading stage. Typical licenced restaurants often require stronger working capital and higher asset bases to manage inventory, staffing, and premises costs.

3. Sector Trends Impact
   The licenced restaurant sector in Northern Ireland and the UK at large has seen variable impacts from post-pandemic recovery, shifts in consumer dining preferences, and inflationary pressures on food and labor costs. Increasing regulatory scrutiny on alcohol licensing and changing consumer habits towards casual dining and experience-driven visits affect revenue potential. Additionally, supply chain disruptions and wage inflation challenge margin stability for smaller operators. Roam (Belfast) Limited’s financial position suggests it may have limited capacity to absorb such sector headwinds or invest in innovation and marketing to capture market share.

4. Competitive Positioning
   Roam (Belfast) Limited appears to be a small, possibly niche player or a start-up within the licenced restaurant sector. Its minimal net assets and equity indicate constrained financial resources compared to typical competitors who usually maintain higher liquidity and invest in fixed assets like kitchen equipment and premises improvements. The company’s small workforce (average 4 employees) also positions it below medium or larger operators who benefit from economies of scale. However, a lean operational structure could offer flexibility and lower fixed costs, potentially allowing it to adapt quickly to local market demands. The control held by a small number of significant shareholders suggests centralized decision-making, which can be positive for agility but may limit access to external capital for expansion.