SOUTHAMPTON ISLE OF WIGHT AND SOUTH OF ENGLAND ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY LIMITED
Trading as Red Funnel, the company is a private passenger and freight ferry operator providing services between Southampton and the Isle of Wight, acting as a subsidiary of Falcon Acquisitions Limited.
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Cash
£3.5m
+143% vs 2024
Net assets
£72m
-2.5% vs 2024
Employees
522
-1.5% vs 2024
Profit before tax
-£2.2m
-445.1% vs 2024
Net assets
2-year trend · vs Industrials median
Accounts
2-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £59,684,000 | £60,379,000 | +1.2% | |
| Operating profit | £3,218,000 | -£1,436,000 | -144.6% | |
| Profit before tax | £625,000 | -£2,157,000 | -445.1% | |
| Net profit | -£8,000 | -£1,965,000 | -24,462.5% | |
| Cash | £1,443,000 | £3,506,000 | +143% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £85,558,000 | £78,250,000 | -8.5% | |
| Net assets | £74,157,000 | £72,277,000 | -2.5% | |
| Equity | £74,157,000 | £72,277,000 | -2.5% | |
| Average employees | 530 | 522 | -1.5% | |
| Wages | £19,008,000 | £20,628,000 | +8.5% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £650,000 | £732,000 | +12.6% | |
| Directors' pension contributions | £61,000 | £52,000 | -14.8% | |
| Highest paid director | £248,000 | £334,000 | +34.7% |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 5.4% | -2.4% | |
| Net margin | -0.0% | -3.3% | |
| Return on capital employed | 3.8% | -1.8% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 23.6% | 22.3% | |
| Current ratio | 4.25x | 3.12x | |
| Interest cover | 1.22x | -1.80x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Name history
Renamed 1 time since incorporation
- SOUTHAMPTON ISLE OF WIGHT AND SOUTH OF ENGLAND ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY LIMITED 2002-08-16 → present
- SOUTHAMPTON ISLE OF WIGHT AND SOUTH OF ENGLAND ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET LIMITED 1861-09-10 → 2002-08-16
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- BDO LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which assumes that the Company will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.”
Group structure
- SOUTHAMPTON ISLE OF WIGHT AND SOUTH OF ENGLAND ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY LIMITED · parent
- Red Funnel (Pension Trustees) Limited 100%
- Isle of Wight Holidays Limited 100%
- Steam Coffee Company Limited 100%
- Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Limited 100%
Significant events
- “The Company completed the refinancing of the Red Kestrel vessel in May 2026, replacing the existing funding with new secured financing totalling £4.2m.”
- “Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Limited a 100% subsidiary was placed into voluntary liquidation on 30 April 2026.”
- “On 29 September 2025, an offer by a company controlled by Njord Partners was accepted to purchase the entire share capital of the Company's intermediate holding company.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
7 active · 38 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHAPMAN, Neil | Director | 2026-01-05 | May 1968 | British |
| COLLINS, Frances Charlotte | Director | 2018-06-21 | Jan 1977 | British |
| DURSTON, Thomas John Angus | Director | 2025-12-08 | May 1994 | British |
| HARRISON, Joanne Claire | Director | 2026-06-18 | Apr 1974 | British |
| HUDSON, Lee Richard | Director | 2010-12-15 | May 1980 | British |
| MCLEAN, Oscar John Sinclair | Director | 2025-12-08 | Aug 2000 | British |
| REED, Deborah Louise | Director | 2018-10-30 | Feb 1975 | British |
Show 38 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| NICHOLSON, Hazel Mary Sarah | Secretary | — | 1998-11-27 |
| SHEARD, John Paul | Secretary | 2000-11-30 | 2008-04-04 |
| WINSON, Avril Helen Winifred | Secretary | 1998-11-28 | 2000-11-30 |
| ANDERSON, Shirley Ann | Director | 2010-12-15 | 2017-12-15 |
| BARNETSON, Graham | Director | 2019-07-01 | 2023-11-10 |
| BLAND, Christopher Donald Jack | Director | — | 2001-01-18 |
| BRADBURY, Kenton Edward | Director | 2010-12-15 | 2014-01-20 |
| BRADLEY, Charles Stuart | Director | — | 2000-11-30 |
| CAMPBELL, Michael Francis | Director | 2017-07-07 | 2020-01-24 |
| CARTER, Arthur Murray | Director | 2010-12-15 | 2018-11-15 |
| COOPER, James Nigel Shelley | Director | 2008-08-15 | 2012-12-20 |
| CURETON, Nigel | Director | 2001-01-17 | 2001-06-26 |
| DAYEMBAYEV, Dauren | Director | 2023-09-28 | 2024-02-28 |
| DELLACHA, Maria Georgina | Director | 2016-10-20 | 2017-07-07 |
| DOCHERTY, Thomas James | Director | 2002-07-01 | 2008-08-08 |
| FULFORD, James Simon Richard | Director | 2009-02-02 | 2012-12-31 |
| GEORGE, Kevin Alan | Director | 2014-03-20 | 2021-07-07 |
| GLASS, Olive Helen | Director | 2001-01-17 | 2004-08-31 |
| GREEN, Jonathan Mark Moorhouse | Director | 2010-12-15 | 2018-11-15 |
| HAZELWOOD, Charles John Gore | Director | 2017-07-07 | 2024-02-28 |
| HELMORE, Max David Charles | Director | 2012-12-20 | 2015-06-26 |
| HETHERINGTON, Colin Crawford | Director | 2004-09-20 | 2008-01-31 |
| INCH, John Wallace | Director | 2016-12-19 | 2018-10-30 |
| KENT, Andrew Stewart | Director | — | 2000-11-30 |
| LAKES, Leanna Mary | Director | 2020-05-01 | 2025-03-01 |
| MILES, Graham John | Director | — | 2005-07-31 |
| NELSON, Stephen Keith James | Director | 2013-05-24 | 2017-07-07 |
| ORANGE, Charles William | Director | — | 1999-11-15 |
| RIDGWAY, Stephen Blakeney | Director | 2021-07-07 | 2025-12-08 |
| SCHUMACHER, Bernd | Director | 2015-06-26 | 2016-08-17 |
| SCOTT, Richard Antony Cargill | Director | 2005-08-01 | 2009-10-16 |
| SIBLEY, Christopher Frank, Mr. | Director | 2019-05-01 | 2021-03-06 |
| SIMS, Polina | Director | 2020-11-26 | 2023-09-28 |
| SLAWSON, James Mark | Director | 2014-10-03 | 2019-08-31 |
| VALE, Aaron Zachariah | Director | 2020-01-24 | 2020-11-10 |
| WHYTE, Alistair Morrison | Director | — | 2005-05-27 |
| WILSON, Edward Arthur | Director | 2017-07-07 | 2024-02-28 |
| WINTER, Paul Richard | Director | 2010-03-05 | 2019-03-31 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Funnel Group Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2018-01-31 | Ceased 2018-01-31 |
| Red Funnel Group (Holdings) Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2018-01-31 | Ceased 2018-01-31 |
| Falcon Acquisitions Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2018-01-31 | Active |
| Red Funnel Ferries Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Ceased 2018-01-31 |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 477 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2026-08-12 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2026-08-12 | RP01AP01 | officers | Replacement filing of director appointment with name | |
| 2026-07-02 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2026-06-04 | MR04 | mortgage | Mortgage satisfy charge full | |
| 2026-06-04 | MR04 | mortgage | Mortgage satisfy charge full | |
| 2026-05-23 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-23 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-15 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-15 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-15 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-12 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-07 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-07 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-07 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-07 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-07 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-05-07 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-01-10 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2026-01-10 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 20
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 4
- Officers resigned
- 1
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.