THE ECU GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
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Cash
£294
+15.7% vs 2024
Net assets
-£8.3M
-0.3% vs 2024
Employees
2
0% vs 2024
Profit before tax
-£24K
+91.4% highest in 6 filed years
Watchouts
Facts from the Companies House register and the latest accounts — not a rating
-
Material uncertainty over going concern
The financial statement have been prepared on a going concern basis, not with standing the fact that at the balance sheet date the company's liabilities exceed its total assets by £8,345,228 (2024: £8,321,228) the validity of which is dependent on the board's future plans.
-
Going-concern uncertainty disclosed
-
Negative shareholders' funds
Net assets
6-year trend · vs Financials median
Accounts
6-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2020-12-31 | 2021-12-31 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £45,646 | £37,440 | £12,481 | £6,500 | £0 | — | — | |
| Operating profit | -£681,412 | -£3,465,370 | -£360,914 | £36,552 | -£17,506 | £51,675 | +395.2% | |
| Profit before tax | -£772,765 | -£3,548,577 | -£614,034 | -£225,928 | -£279,906 | -£24,000 | +91.4% | |
| Net profit | -£772,765 | -£3,553,505 | -£614,034 | -£225,928 | -£279,906 | -£24,000 | +91.4% | |
| Cash | £238,394 | £3,654 | £7,041 | £614 | £254 | £294 | +15.7% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £208,645 | -£2,716,360 | — | -£6,893,322 | -£8,321,228 | — | — | |
| Net assets | -£3,647,855 | -£7,201,360 | -£7,815,394 | -£8,041,322 | -£8,321,228 | -£8,345,228 | -0.3% | |
| Equity | -£3,647,855 | -£7,201,360 | -£7,815,394 | — | — | -£8,345,228 | — | |
| Average employees | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0% | |
| Wages | £388,708 | £370,417 | £0 | — | — | — | — | |
| Directors' remuneration | £208,800 | £186,250 | £0 | — | — | — | — |
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 | 2020-12-31 | 2021-12-31 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return on capital employed | -326.6% | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | — | — | — | 1309761.6% | 3276174.0% | — | |
| Current ratio | — | — | — | 0.00x | 0.00x | 0.00x | |
| Interest cover | -7.43x | -41.56x | -1.43x | 0.14x | -0.07x | 0.68x |
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. Margin ratios are hidden where reported turnover is too small relative to profit to yield a meaningful figure — typical of holding companies whose income is mostly subsidiary dividends rather than trading revenue. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Name history
Renamed 1 time since incorporation
- THE ECU GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY 1988-12-02 → present
- DATABUSY LIMITED 1988-09-14 → 1988-12-02
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Auditor
- ZMS Solutions Limited
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Material uncertainty disclosed
“The financial statement have been prepared on a going concern basis, not with standing the fact that at the balance sheet date the company's liabilities exceed its total assets by £8,345,228 (2024: £8,321,228) the validity of which is dependent on the board's future plans.”
Significant events
- “On 25 July 2023 the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Evans' claims should proceed on an opt-out basis for UK domiciled class members, overruling the CAT's earlier decision to limit the claims to 'opt-in' proceedings.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
2 active · 63 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PETLEY, Michael John | Director | 2011-02-28 | Mar 1965 | British |
| ROBINSON, David Alfred Edward | Director | 2011-02-16 | May 1945 | British |
Show 63 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAILEY, Michael Patrick | Secretary | 2010-10-22 | 2011-04-20 |
| DE KLERK, Willem | Secretary | 2014-10-23 | 2022-01-31 |
| DIEBEL, Michael John | Secretary | 2012-03-14 | 2014-10-23 |
| DIEBEL, Michael John | Secretary | 2007-06-08 | 2010-06-18 |
| ISAACS, Stephen Edwin Phineas | Secretary | 2011-04-20 | 2012-02-10 |
| JONES, Alexander Roderick | Secretary | 2003-11-28 | 2004-02-29 |
| MANDUCA, Charles Victor | Secretary | 2010-06-18 | 2010-10-22 |
| MOORE, Jane Alison | Secretary | 2001-06-29 | 2003-11-28 |
| PETLEY, Michael John | Secretary | 1998-11-30 | 2001-06-29 |
| ROYDEN, John Michael Joseph | Secretary | 1995-03-28 | 1998-11-30 |
| THOMAS, Ann | Secretary | — | 1994-02-16 |
| WALES, Ruth Mabella | Secretary | 1994-02-16 | 1995-03-28 |
| WHELDON, Paul Wilfred | Secretary | 2004-03-01 | 2007-06-08 |
| ADAMSON, Rory Beaton | Director | 2001-07-13 | 2001-12-31 |
| AGNEW SOMERVILLE BT, Quentin, Sir | Director | 1991-09-25 | 1994-02-16 |
| BAILEY, Michael Patrick | Director | 2010-10-22 | 2011-02-16 |
| BREAME, John Alan | Director | 2000-03-29 | 2001-12-31 |
| BROADHURST, Andrew Robert | Director | 2014-05-20 | 2015-09-30 |
| CATOR, Albemarle John | Director | 2004-01-01 | 2008-12-29 |
| CHAPMAN, Maria Jane | Director | 1999-03-01 | 2008-12-12 |
| CLARKE, Alexander Edward Pennant | Director | 1993-05-12 | 2001-06-21 |
| COOPER, Stephen John | Director | 2004-03-10 | 2007-08-06 |
| DELVES BROUGHTON, Rona Zara, Lady | Director | 2009-12-03 | 2022-02-25 |
| DEPEL, Cary Allen | Director | 2007-08-06 | 2008-12-11 |
| EADIE, Christopher Broun | Director | — | 1991-09-10 |
| EGEN, Gregg Michael | Director | 2015-10-01 | 2022-01-31 |
| GARDINER, Jason Andrew | Director | 1993-05-12 | 1995-03-31 |
| HAYLEY, Alec William | Director | 2003-05-14 | 2003-11-28 |
| HEMSLEY, Oliver Alexander | Director | 2012-12-17 | 2013-12-31 |
| HOWELL, Philip Adrian | Director | 2001-07-13 | 2003-11-28 |
| ISAACS, Stephen Edwin Phineas | Director | 2011-03-16 | 2012-02-10 |
| JACCARD, Michel Louis Edouard | Director | 1995-02-07 | 1995-05-20 |
| JOHN, Antony Gwilym | Director | 2012-10-25 | 2014-05-31 |
| JONES, Alexander Roderick | Director | 2014-10-23 | 2022-01-31 |
| JONES, Alexander Roderick | Director | 2009-12-03 | 2011-01-28 |
| JONES, Alexander Roderick | Director | 2004-03-01 | 2008-12-29 |
| JONES, Alexander Roderick | Director | 1992-11-02 | 1994-02-07 |
| LE ROUX, Nathaniel Bernard | Director | 2008-10-14 | 2008-11-14 |
| LESTER, Nigel Martin | Director | 2007-11-01 | 2008-12-29 |
| MACKINNON, Neil John | Director | 1999-03-01 | 2009-07-08 |
| MANDUCA, Charles Victor Falzon Sant | Director | 2009-12-03 | 2011-02-15 |
| MANDUCA, Philip Falzon Sant | Director | 2007-11-21 | 2008-12-29 |
| MOORE, Anthony Roger | Director | 2000-03-29 | 2001-06-26 |
| NAUGHTEN, Cormac Ronan Aidan | Director | 2005-05-01 | 2008-12-29 |
| ODDY, Robert John | Director | 2001-07-13 | 2003-04-30 |
| PETLEY, Michael John | Director | 2011-01-28 | 2011-01-28 |
| PETLEY, Michael John | Director | — | 2008-12-29 |
| PILKINGTON-MIKSA, Jan Irvine | Director | 2012-10-25 | 2014-10-23 |
| ROBB, George Alan | Director | 2012-10-25 | 2014-10-23 |
| ROMILLY, Charles Simon Eric | Director | 2005-11-07 | 2012-07-02 |
| ROMILLY, Charles | Director | — | 1995-01-31 |
| ROYDEN, John Michael Joseph | Director | — | 1998-11-30 |
| SOLER, Francisco Angel | Director | 2012-12-27 | 2016-10-31 |
| STANTON-LABAN, Leslie Gibson | Director | — | 1992-11-23 |
| STONE, Michael John Christopher | Director | 1998-11-30 | 2004-08-11 |
| STONE, Michael John Christopher | Director | 1995-07-01 | 1995-10-16 |
| STONE, Michael John Christopher | Director | 1991-09-25 | 1994-02-16 |
| THOM, Robert Rundell | Director | — | 1992-11-23 |
| WATSON, Rupert Michael Colvin | Director | 1993-05-12 | 1995-03-17 |
| WESTLEY, Victoria Jane | Director | 1995-10-18 | 1996-05-28 |
| WHELDON, Paul Wilfred | Director | 2004-02-01 | 2008-12-29 |
| ZUCCONI, Stefano Vittorio | Director | 2002-01-03 | 2003-11-28 |
| CASSIA SECURITIES LIMITED | Corporate Director | 2008-12-29 | 2009-12-03 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Michael John Petley | Individual | Shares 25–50% | 2017-01-01 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 318 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-12-18 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-06-20 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-06-16 | AD01 | address | Change registered office address company with date old address new address | |
| 2024-12-12 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-06-26 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-12-14 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2023-06-27 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2022-12-12 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2022-07-05 | AD01 | address | Change registered office address company with date old address new address | |
| 2022-07-05 | AD01 | address | Change registered office address company with date old address new address | |
| 2022-07-05 | AD01 | address | Change registered office address company with date old address new address | |
| 2022-06-29 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2022-02-28 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-02-01 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-02-01 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date | |
| 2022-02-01 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2021-12-31 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2021-12-30 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2021-06-28 | AA01 | accounts | Change account reference date company previous shortened |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 2
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 0
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.