UK administrations update: April 1 – 8

Since our last update, the following businesses have been confirmed as having fallen into administration. All dates indicate when the administration was announced and not necessarily the dates on which administrators were appointed.

Oxford Analytical Services Limited – April 1
Oxford Analytical Services Limited, a scientific testing laboratory in Oxfordshire, fell into administration last month, with Richard Rendle of Rendle & Co appointed as administrator.

In accounts for the year to February 29 2024, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £90,000 and current assets at approximately £378,000. However, its net liabilities at the time totalled nearly £1.1 million.

Rodells Limited – April 2
Rodells Limited, a scaffolding services firm based in St Albans, fell into administration in late March, with Sarah Cook and Miles Needham of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

The company, which was founded more than 125 years ago as a steeple-jacking company, provides services for large commercial and industrial jobs throughout the country and also has a specialist access works division.

In accounts for the year ending March 31 2024, the company’s fixed assets were valued at close to £2 million and current assets at £1.3 million, with net assets amounting to slightly under £2.3 million.

Greeen+ Limited – April 2
Greeen+ Limited, a Lincolnshire-based supplier of potted plants to the UK retail marketplace, fell into administration last month, with Paul Appleton and Simon Killick of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

In the company’s most recent accounts, for the year to June 30 2022, it reported turnover of £36.6 million, up slightly from £36.1 million a year earlier, but saw its post-tax losses increase from £66,363 to £366,708.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £934,538 and current assets at £8.4 million, while net liabilities amounted to slightly over £10,000.

STH Westco Limited – April 2
STH Westco Limited, an independent supplier and distributor to the UK plumbing and heating sector, fell into administration last month, with Kerry Bailey and James Stephen of BDO appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the company’s turnover stood at approximately £18.8 million, down from £29.4 million a year earlier, while its post-tax losses totalled nearly £5.7 million.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at around £804,000 and current assets at £11.6 million, but net liabilities amounted to nearly £9 million.

Dovetail Enterprises (1993) Limited – April 2
Dovetail Enterprises (1993) Limited, a Glasgow-based registered charity and manufacturer of furniture and mattresses, fell into administration in late March, with Geoffrey Jacobs and Alistair McAlinden of Interpath Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

The company had reportedly faced significant financial challenges over recent years and revenues were unable to sustain rising costs, resulting in trading losses and severely impacting its cashflow.

Capital investment required to ensure the business was able to continue trading could not be secured, resulting in the appointment of administrators. Upon their appointment, the business ceased trading.

In accounts for the year to March 31 2023, the firm reported total income of £3.18 million. Its fixed assets at the time exceeded £1 million, but debts meant that net liabilities totalled £86,289.

Cross-Guard Limited – April 2
Cross-Guard Limited, a Scunthorpe-based manufacturer and installer of data centre equipment, fell into administration last month, with Charles Ranby-Gorwood and Gareth Rusling of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

A spokesperson for Begbies Traynor stated that the joint administrators were working to understand the cause of the company’s failure, but added that it was "already clear that the business was unviable.” The joint administrators are also exploring potential buyers for the business’ assets and goodwill.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £352,000 and current assets at £2.57 million, with net assets amounting to nearly £1.4 million.

Patty and Bun Limited – April 2
Patty and Bun Limited, a London-headquartered chain of burger restaurants, fell into administration last month, with Daniel Leigh of Leigh Consultancy appointed as administrator.

In accounts for the year to November 27 2022, the company generated turnover of around £10.5 million, up from £8.2 million a year earlier, but saw its losses more than double from £2.1 million to £4.2 million.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at around £2.9 million and current assets at £1.6 million. However, its net liabilities at the time totalled slightly over £484,000.

Equality Works Limited – April 3
Equality Works Limited, a Hebburn-based diversity and inclusion consultancy, fell into administration in March, with Andrew Little and Gillian Sauburn of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to August 31 2023, the company generated turnover of £2.1 million, down slightly from £2.25 million a year earlier, while falling to a post-tax loss of £23,620, compared to a profit of around £360,000 the previous year.

At the time, its assets were valued at around £1.3 million, with total equity amounting to approximately £893,000.

ATN Marketing Limited – April 3
ATN Marketing Limited, the parent company behind long-standing Leamington furniture, homeware and gift shop Stone The Crows, fell into administration last month, with Christopher Wood and Steven Hodgson of Clough Corporate Solutions appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to January 31 2024, the company’s fixed assets were valued at close to £468,000 and current assets at nearly £5 million, with net assets amounting to around £2 million.

Knowledgemotion Limited – April 4
Knowledgemotion Limited, a company that has developed a cloud-based platform for education providers to find and license video, fell into administration at the start of April, with Benjamin Wiles and Robert Goodhew of Kroll Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2022, the company’s fixed assets were valued at £7.7 million and current assets at £6.7 million, with total equity amounting to £4.4 million.

The Villa (Wrea Green) Limited – April 4
The Villa (Wrea Green) Limited, the operating company behind the Villa Wrea Green hotel, restaurant and wedding venue in Lancashire, fell into administration at the start of this month, with Martyn Rickels and Anthony Collier of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

Martyn Rickels said that the business “hasn’t been immune” to inflationary pressures impacting the wider hospitality sector, which is still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Rickels added that the hotel “remains a fundamentally popular venue with a strong order book for this year and beyond” and that the joint administrators intend to continue trading the business while seeking to bring in new ownership.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the business reported turnover of £2.1 million but fell to a loss of £473,411. At the time, its fixed assets were valued at around £5.2 million and current assets at £1.9 million, with total equity amounting to £1.3 million.

Regency Garden Buildings Limited – April 7
Regency Garden Buildings Limited, a Sheffield-based manufacturer of cedar garden buildings, fell into administration at the end of March, with Ryan Holdsworth and Danielle Shore of Leonard Curtis appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to March 31 2024, the firm’s fixed assets were valued at around £23,000 and current assets at £2.8 million, with net assets amounting to £2.5 million.

Miles Kelly Publishing Limited – April 7
Miles Kelly Publishing Limited, a children’s book publishing company based in Thaxted, fell into administration last month, with Martin Weller and Julie Humphrey of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £27,000 and current assets at £3.3 million, with net assets standing at slightly under £500,000.

Movac Group Limited – April 7
Movac Group Limited, an Ipswich-based supplier of coatings to the automotive and industrial sectors, fell into administration in late March, with Alex Cadwallader and Dane O’Hara of Leonard Curtis appointed as joint administrators.

In the year to September 30 2023, the company reported turnover of £15.2 million, up from around £14.2 million a year earlier. However, having reported a post-tax profit of around £123,000 in 2023, the group fell to a loss of close to £2 million.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £2.3 million and current assets at £4.7 million, while net assets amounted to close to £204,000.

Nicholas Jones Sutton Solicitors – April 7
Nicholas Jones Sutton Solicitors, a solicitor based in Cheshire, fell into administration last week, with Andrew Bland of DMC Recovery and Gareth Harris of RSM UK Restructuring appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year ending September 30 2024, the company’s current assets were valued at £5.2 million and net assets at around £561,000.

One World Express Inc. Limited – April 8
One World Express Inc. Limited, a Brighton-based parcel delivery and courier company, fell into administration last week, with Neville Side and Philip Harris of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

In the year to December 31 2023, the company reported turnover of approximately £23.1 million, up from around £19.5 million a year earlier, while recovering from a post-tax loss of £911,000 in 2022 to a profit of slightly over £262,000.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £2.6 million and current assets at £3.5 million, with net assets amounting to £1.6 million.


Click here to download our free guide on finding and buying distressed businesses and assets

Search the latest administrations

Share this article

Latest Businesses for Sale

View more businesses for sale