UK administrations update: July 23 – 30

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

Digital Home Visits Limited – July 23
Digital Home Visits Limited, a social care technology and domiciliary care services provider based in Warwickshire, fell into administration earlier this month, appointing Alistair Wardell and Richard Lewis of Grant Thornton as joint administrators.

In the company’s most recent accounts at Companies House, for the year to June 30 2023, its fixed assets were valued at £4.2 million and current assets at £2.8 million, with total equity amounting to £3.9 million.

Charles Henshaw & Sons Limited – July 23
Charles Henshaw & Sons Limited, a specialist facades contractor based in Edinburgh, fell into administration earlier this month, with Shona Campbell of Henderson Loggie appointed as administrator.

The company’s collapse was attributed to financial pressures resulting from growing costs, problematic legacy contracts and delays in undertaking new projects. The administrator is actively seeking buyers for the business and assets, with Campbell saying there is a “unique opportunity to acquire a company with a solid reputation and extensive portfolio.”

In the company’s accounts for the year to January 31 2023, it reported turnover of £18.4 million, down from £21.3 million a year earlier, while falling from a pre-tax profit of slightly over £1 million to a loss of £3.9 million. At the time, its net assets were valued at £4.4 million.

Ma-Shell (Motor Cycles) Limited – July 24
Ma-Shell (Motor Cycles) Limited, a motorbike dealership based in Birmingham, fell into administration last week, appointing Andrew Turpin and Matthew Hardy of Poppleton & Appleby as joint administrators.

The company is reportedly set to enter liquidation following a sustained period of challenging trading, including poor sales of electric motorcycles. All 18 of the company’s employees have been made redundant.

In its accounts for the year to November 30 2022, the company’s fixed assets were valued at £249,310 and current assets at £1.6 million, with net assets at the time amounting to slightly over £760,000.

A Catlow Civil Engineering Limited – July 24
A Catlow Civil Engineering Limited, a civil engineering business based in Sheffield, fell into administration earlier this month after filing a notice of intention (NOI) to appoint administrators in May, with Kris Wigfield and Joanne Hammond appointed as joint administrators.

In the company’s most recent accounts at Companies House, for the year to March 31 2023, its fixed assets were valued at around £1.8 million, with current assets valued at slightly over £4 million. At the time, its net assets were valued at around £501,000.

Levin Group Limited – July 25
Levin Group Limited, a London-based recruitment agency specialising in the tech industry, fell into administration earlier this month, appointing Alastair Massey and Philip Reynolds of FRP Advisory as joint administrators.

In the group’s most recent accounts at Companies House, for the year to October 31 2022, it reported turnover of £34.5 million, compared to £8.7 million unaudited turnover in the previous year. However, its losses more than doubles from £2.1 million to £5.4 million.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £964,594 and current assets at £8.3 million. However, debts meant that its net liabilities amounted to slightly over £7.3 million.

A P V Marine Limited – July 25
A P V Marine Limited, a Southampton-based manufacturer and supplier of rigid inflatable boats (RIBs), fell into administration last week, with Simon Lowes, Stephen Powell and Julie Palmer of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

In the company’s accounts for the year to September 30 2022, its fixed assets were valued at slightly under £490,000 and current assets at £2.2 million. However, at the time, it had net liabilities totalling close to £800,000.

HyperTunnel Limited – July 26
HyperTunnel Limited, a Hampshire-based tunnelling construction technology company, fell into administration last week, along with its holding company HyperTunnel Holdings Limited, with Paul Davis and Timothy Dolder of Opus Business Advisory Group appointed as joint administrators.

The company had developed an innovative 3D printing tunnelling method that utilised horizontal directional drilling bore pipes and had secured considerable investment, grants and a research and development contract with Network Rail.

However, it had also amassed significant debts and was facing a deadline to repay £14.8 million to investor Hamersley. The firm was reportedly unable to repay its principal investor and efforts to find a buyer or restructure the business’ debt proved unsuccessful, leading to the appointment of administrators.

In accounts for the year to April 30 2023, its assets were valued at approximately £1.7 million, but liabilities totalled £9.6 million.

Find out more about HyperTunnel’s collapse

First City Fire and Security Limited – July 26
First City Fire and Security Limited, a Manchester-based provider of fire alarm systems, security systems and modern access control solutions, fell into administration earlier this month, appointing Steve Kenny and Richard Cole of KBL Advisory as joint administrators.

In the company’s accounts for the year to December 31 2022, its fixed assets were valued at £114,315 and current assets at £1.2 million, with net assets amounting to £216,147.

Octevo Housing Solutions Limited – July 26
Octevo Housing Solutions Limited, a company that rents and operates housing association properties, fell into administration last year, with the Gazette confirming the appointment of Neil Money of CBA Business Solutions as administrator last week.

In accounts for the year to September 30 2020, the firm’s fixed assets were valued at £7.5 million and current assets at £3.1 million, with net assets standing at slightly over £4 million.

4Wood TV and Film Limited – July 26
4Wood TV and Film Limited, a Cardiff-based set building company for the TV and film industries, fell into administration last week, with Simon Girling and Kiri Holland of BDO LLP appointed as joint administrators.

In the company’s accounts for the year to December 31 2022, its fixed assets were valued at £664,422 and current assets at £1.9 million with net assets amounting to £1.84 million.

Find out about M&A in the UK’s film and TV industry

Beck Interiors Limited – July 29
Beck Interiors Limited, a fit-out and refurbishment firm based in Surrey, fell into administration last week, appointing Stephen Katz, David Rubin and David Birne of Begbies Traynor as joint administrators.

Despite reporting turnover of £139.2 million in the year to December 31 2022, up from £86.1 million a year earlier, and more than doubling pre-tax profits to £7.1 million, the company had seemingly encountered financial difficulties and faced winding-up petitions.

In its most recent accounts, fixed assets were valued at slightly over £1.4 million and current assets at nearly £92 million, with total equity standing at £25.2 million.

Find out more about Beck Interiors’ administration

R&Q Central Services Limited – July 30
R&Q Central Services Limited, the central management company of the R&Q insurance group, fell into administration last week, appointing David Soden, Michael Tagg and Ian Wormleighton of Teneo Financial Advisory as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2022, the company reported turnover of £43 million, down from £58.1 million a year earlier, but saw its pre-tax profits soar from £334,583 to £1.9 million.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £550,126 and current assets at £15.3 million with net assets standing at £3.8 million.


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