CHESS LIMITED
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Next accounts due
2027-01-31 (in 8mo)
Last filed for 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement due
2026-08-15 (in 3mo)
Last made up 2025-08-01
Watchouts
None on the register
Cash
£6M
-19.7% vs 2024
Net assets
£2M
+197.5% highest in 6 filed years
Employees
266
+4.3% highest in 6 filed years
Profit before tax
£2M
-35.7% vs 2024
Net assets
9-year trend · vs Telecommunications median
Accounts
9-year trend · latest reflected 2025-04-30
| Metric | Trend | 2019-05-01 | 2020-04-30 | 2021-04-30 | 2021-05-01 | 2022-04-30 | 2023-04-30 | 2023-05-01 | 2024-04-30 | 2025-04-30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | £49,334,000 | £46,018,000 | |
| Operating profit | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | £4,578,000 | £3,142,000 | |
| Profit before tax | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | £3,576,000 | £2,300,000 | |
| Net profit | — | £199,000 | £1,016,000 | — | -£845,000 | -£859,000 | — | £2,500,000 | £2,515,000 | |
| Cash | — | £2,000 | £315,000 | — | £972,000 | £973,000 | — | £7,978,000 | £6,409,000 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | — | £13,275,000 | -£744,000 | — | £10,445,000 | £9,236,000 | — | £16,289,000 | £2,232,000 | |
| Net assets | — | -£15,707,000 | -£16,726,000 | — | -£5,055,000 | -£6,514,000 | — | £726,000 | £2,160,000 | |
| Equity | -£14,567,000 | -£15,707,000 | -£16,726,000 | -£16,726,000 | -£5,055,000 | -£6,514,000 | -£6,514,000 | £726,000 | £2,160,000 | |
| Average employees | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 255 | 266 | |
| Wages | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | £11,990,000 | £13,225,000 | |
| Directors' remuneration | — | £1,053,000 | £1,683,000 | — | — | — | — | £1,066,000 | £1,111,000 |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers
Year-on-year
FY2024 → FY2025 · period ending 2025-04-30 vs 2024-04-30
-
Turnover
-6.7%
£49,334,000 £46,018,000
-
Cash
-19.7%
£7,978,000 £6,409,000
-
Net assets
+197.5%
£726,000 £2,160,000
highest in 6 filed years
-
Employees
+4.3%
255 266
highest in 6 filed years
-
Operating profit
-31.4%
£4,578,000 £3,142,000
-
Profit before tax
-35.7%
£3,576,000 £2,300,000
-
Wages
+10.3%
£11,990,000 £13,225,000
Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2019-05-01 | 2020-04-30 | 2021-04-30 | 2021-05-01 | 2022-04-30 | 2023-04-30 | 2023-05-01 | 2024-04-30 | 2025-04-30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9.3% | 6.8% | |
| Net margin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5.1% | 5.5% | |
| Return on capital employed | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28.1% | 140.8% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 97.4% | 91.7% | |
| Current ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.00x | 0.76x | |
| Interest cover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.44x | 2.53x |
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 2 times since incorporation
- CHESS LIMITED 2009-07-21 → present
- CHESS PLC 2003-01-10 → 2009-07-21
- CHESS INDUSTRIES PLC 1993-03-10 → 2003-01-10
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Consolidated group
- Auditor
- S&W Audit Limited
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Group and Parent Company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.”
Group structure
- CHESS LIMITED · parent
- Chess Partner Limited 100%
- Chess ICT Limited 100%
- Chess Digital Limited 100%
- Chess ICT Burnley Limited 100%
- Stonehouse Logic Limited 100%
- TM Solutions Limited 100%
- Chess Wholesale Limited 100%
- Engage Your People Limited 100%
- Chess Energy Limited 100%
- Chess People Limited 100%
- Chess Telecom Limited 100%
- Smartflush Limited 100%
- TTNC Limited 100%
- Callagenix Limited 100%
- Commi Holdings Limited 100%
- Chess Security Limited 100%
Significant events
- “The Group continues to seek opportunities to expand, through acquisitions, in existing and new markets. The Group has committed substantial ongoing investment into the development of new solutions to meet the everchanging needs of our customers. The PSDN and ISDN switch off in 2027 will be a continued focus for us, our customers, and our suppliers in the coming year and our controlled strategy of supporting our customers through this transition is in flight.”
- “On 27 January 2026, the directors extended the £15m facility with Barclays, drawn in relation to the JSOP, to a revised termination date of 31 January 2027. The renewed facility includes a further option for both parties to extend the termination date by one further year to 31 January 2028, subject to ongoing compliance with relevant adjusted leverage covenants.”
- “On 8 November 2024, Chess ICT Limited, a subsidiary of Chess Limited, acquired the trade and assets of Silversands Limited. This transaction has been deemed to constitute a business combination under Section 19 of FRS 102.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
8 active · 15 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POLLOCK, Tina | Secretary | 2010-09-03 | — | — |
| BTESH, John Richard Mark | Director | 2005-05-01 | Aug 1957 | British |
| DRACUP, Stephen David Michael | Director | 2008-07-01 | Apr 1963 | British |
| HEMMING, Roger John William | Director | 2019-01-01 | Sep 1962 | British |
| HUGHES, Jessica | Director | 2016-06-01 | Apr 1988 | British |
| POLLOCK, Charles David | Director | — | Jan 1960 | British |
| POLLOCK, Charlie | Director | 2016-06-01 | Feb 1991 | British |
| PRYER, Warren Andrew | Director | 2005-05-01 | Sep 1963 | British |
Show 15 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIGHTFOOT, Mark Roy | Secretary | 2010-01-01 | 2010-09-03 |
| POLLOCK, Susan | Secretary | 1995-08-25 | 2003-01-01 |
| ROBERTS, David Brian | Secretary | — | 1995-08-25 |
| WRIGHT, Julie | Secretary | 2003-01-02 | 2010-01-01 |
| SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED | Corporate Nominee Secretary | 1993-03-10 | 1993-03-10 |
| COX, Steven | Director | 2016-11-29 | 2017-10-05 |
| HARPER, Nicola Jane | Director | 2008-07-09 | 2009-05-27 |
| HARPER, Nicola Jane | Director | 2004-10-01 | 2007-01-29 |
| LIGHTFOOT, Mark Roy | Director | 2010-01-01 | 2025-08-26 |
| MASON, David Andrew | Director | 2011-06-28 | 2019-04-30 |
| MORRISEY, Christopher James | Director | 2005-05-01 | 2007-09-05 |
| POLLOCK, Edward Ardley | Director | 1993-05-11 | 1994-03-10 |
| POLLOCK, Edward Ardley | Director | — | 2006-09-26 |
| WRIGHT, Julie | Director | 2004-10-01 | 2013-02-08 |
| INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED | Corporate Nominee Director | 1993-03-10 | 1994-03-10 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr David Pollock | Individual | Shares 75–100% | 2016-08-01 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 242 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2025-04-15 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
- 2024-02-06 MA Memorandum articles
- 2024-02-06 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-29 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2025-11-19 | SH06 | capital | Capital cancellation shares | |
| 2025-11-19 | SH03 | capital | Capital return purchase own shares | |
| 2025-08-26 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-08-18 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2025-05-20 | SH06 | capital | Capital cancellation shares | |
| 2025-05-20 | SH03 | capital | Capital return purchase own shares | |
| 2025-04-15 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2025-02-04 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-11-05 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2024-08-21 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-02-27 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-02-06 | MA | incorporation | Memorandum articles | |
| 2024-02-06 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2024-02-01 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2023-08-22 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2023-04-12 | SH03 | capital | Capital return purchase own shares | |
| 2023-04-12 | SH03 | capital | Capital return purchase own shares | |
| 2023-04-12 | SH03 | capital | Capital return purchase own shares | |
| 2023-04-12 | SH03 | capital | Capital return purchase own shares |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 7
- Capital events
- 4
- Officers appointed
- 0
- 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.