Companies House probe leads to seven firms being wound up

Seven companies registered across Lancashire, London, Manchester and Reading were wound up in the public interest by the High Court in Manchester on 22 September 2026 following a joint regulatory investigation.

The Insolvency Service and Companies House established connections between businesses that had appeared separate on the public register, according to details published by Companies House. Investigators found concerns over their accounts, registered offices and the ability to verify their activities.

What happened

Accounts submitted by the companies appeared to include inaccurate or misleading information about their auditors. The audit firms identified in those filings told investigators they had not audited the businesses.

Several of the companies also lacked a genuine presence at the addresses recorded as their registered offices. Investigators could not establish legitimate trading activity or determine who controlled some of the businesses.

The companies did not co-operate with the inquiry. That prevented investigators from checking their activities and resolving questions about what the businesses were doing.

The action concerned seven named businesses: Attic Asset Ltd, Kevin Steven Fryer Ltd, Quality Imports & Exports Limited, Nigel Jones & Paul Bowden Ltd, Farm Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Ltd, Wiseman Press Ltd and Christopher Sherwood Limited.

The court intervention was separate from the case involving Ellan NW, which was shut down after arranging 226 company purchases.

The background

The links emerged from similarities in the companies’ incorporation records, changes of name and descriptions of their businesses. Those patterns gave the two investigating bodies evidence of a connection not readily apparent from viewing the companies individually.

Their stated activities covered a range of sectors, including wholesale fruit and vegetables, oil and gas, and property. Three companies were described as London-based, with the remaining four spread across Lancashire, Manchester and Reading.

The published company identifiers and available registered-office details were:

• Attic Asset Ltd, company number 13117092, with a registered office on Manor Road, Blackpool.
• Kevin Steven Fryer Ltd, company number 11255367. Its address details were removed from the notice in an update on 14 October 2026.
• Quality Imports & Exports Limited, company number 11476734. The notice listed no company address.
• Nigel Jones & Paul Bowden Ltd, company number 11256401, with a registered office on Stratton Street, London.
• Farm Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Ltd, company number 11265254. The notice listed no company address.
• Wiseman Press Ltd, company number 11477266, with a registered office on Waterside Drive, Reading.
• Christopher Sherwood Limited, company number 11347284, with a registered office on Great Queen Street, London.

For businesses checking company records and service providers, the register is not the only relevant public resource. Companies House also maintains information on suspended and ceased authorised corporate service providers, a separate list from the companies covered by this winding-up action.

What people are saying

David Usher, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, credited Companies House with supplying important evidence for the cases. He said the outcome demonstrated that businesses could not rely on false filings or misleading information to build credibility while exposing other companies to risk.

Matt Pennell, head of intelligence at Companies House, said people using the register needed confidence in its contents. He warned that inaccurate or misleading submissions could damage that confidence and cause harm.

Pennell said the joint work had helped establish the connections and supported public-interest action. He presented the closures as protection both for the register’s integrity and for businesses and others relying on its records.

What happens next

The winding-up orders have already been made. The notice does not set out further court dates, identify creditor losses or provide details of any recoveries.

Directors seeking guidance on their duties are directed to the Insolvency Service’s Director Information Hub. The service also provides information about its work and how to report suspected financial misconduct.

Separately, companies preparing future submissions face a change in filing arrangements, with Companies House accounts filing moving to software-only from April 2028. That administrative change is distinct from the accuracy and verification concerns behind these closures.