| REGISTERED NUMBER: |
| Strategic Report, Report of the Directors and |
| Financial Statements |
| for the Period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| for |
| Heygates Limited |
| REGISTERED NUMBER: |
| Strategic Report, Report of the Directors and |
| Financial Statements |
| for the Period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| for |
| Heygates Limited |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Contents of the Financial Statements |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| Page |
| Company Information | 1 |
| Strategic Report | 2 | to | 3 |
| Report of the Directors | 4 | to | 6 |
| Report of the Independent Auditors | 7 | to | 10 |
| Income Statement | 11 |
| Other Comprehensive Income | 12 |
| Balance Sheet | 13 |
| Statement of Changes in Equity | 14 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 15 | to | 33 |
| Heygates Limited |
| Company Information |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| DIRECTORS: |
| SECRETARY: |
| REGISTERED OFFICE: |
| REGISTERED NUMBER: |
| AUDITORS: |
| Chartered Accountants & |
| Statutory Auditors |
| Pacioli House |
| 9 Brookfield |
| Duncan Close |
| Northampton |
| Northamptonshire |
| NN3 6WL |
| BANKERS: |
| Large Corporates |
| 6th Floor |
| 120 Edmund Street |
| Birmingham |
| B3 2QZ |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Strategic Report |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| The directors present their strategic report for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025. |
| PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY |
| The principal activity of the company continues to be flour milling at its four mill sites situated at Bugbrooke, Downham Market, Tring and Icklingham. |
| REVIEW OF BUSINESS |
| The UK flour milling industry remains a highly competitive market and the company has sought to address this through a targeted growth strategy. The company has four production facilities which give a wide geographical spread and address the risk of operating from a single site and it continues to invest to meet capacity as the market demands. |
| During the period, continued easing of market conditions amongst the ongoing global tensions enabled global and UK wheat prices to remain stable but at reduced cost compared with prior periods. With continued robust demand, combined with the decreased cost base has resulted in a decrease in both turnover and cost of sales but an overall increase in the gross profit margin and ultimately the profit for the year. |
| PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES |
| The company does not have significant exposure to foreign currency or cash flow risks due to the nature of its trade. Exposure to credit, liquidity, interest rate and other price risks arise in the normal course of Heygates Limited's business. These risks are limited by the company's financial management policies described below. |
| Credit risk |
| Credit risk is the risk that one party to a financial instrument will cause a financial loss for Heygates Limited by failing to discharge an obligation. Predominantly any risks will arise from trade debtors going bad. Heygates Limited reduces the risk through sales ledger risk management policies including credit insurance and regular credit control review. |
| Liquidity risk |
| The directors have ultimate responsibility for liquidity risk management in maintaining adequate reserves, banking and borrowing facilities. These are managed on a group wide basis in order to benefit from economies of scale. The risk is further reduced through the use of invoice discounting facilities by the company. |
| Interest rate risk |
| The company is exposed to interest rate risk through the impact of rate changes on interest bearing borrowings. Apart from the bank overdraft and the invoice discounting facility, the company does not have significant interest bearing assets and liabilities. By managing the facilities on a group wide basis, better interest rates are obtained to mitigate the risk. |
| Other price risk |
| The company operates in a highly competitive market. In order to retain its existing customers and generate new ones, the company continues to strive to achieve its overriding aim of building and maintaining good customer relationships and consistently producing high quality, innovative products together with a high level of service at competitive prices. The resulting strong relationships help the company to work with its customers following significant changes in raw material costs and mitigate the risk of having to absorb wheat price fluctuations alone. In the period under review market conditions around the world have eased compared to the prior period resulting in a decrease in both global and UK grain prices. Lower wheat prices resulted in decreases in both turnover and costs of sale. |
| SECTION 172(1) STATEMENT |
| The company operates in a complex and interconnected commercial and regulatory environment which impacts and touches many different stakeholders. By understanding and engaging with stakeholders the company can consider their interests and priorities when making key decisions and ensure that the business works constructively with them to promote the success of the company. Details of how the company engages with its key stakeholders are included in the Directors' Report. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Strategic Report |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| ANALYSIS OF DEVELOPMENTS AND PERFORMANCE |
| The company's overriding strategy is to maintain its current position by concentrating on the premium sector of the markets in which it operates by the production of premium and innovative products. To achieve this the company aims to provide customers with the highest possible quality products, continued product development and innovation, together with an excellent standard of technical service and support. |
| The key performance indicators (KPI's) used in monitoring the company's performance are: |
| 1. Organic sales growth - year on year percentage change in sales revenue. |
| 2. Gross return on sales - gross profit as a percentage of sales revenue. |
| 3. Net return on sales - profit/(loss) on ordinary activities before taxation and before non-recurring items and income from other fixed asset investments, as a percentage of sales revenue. |
| 4. Return on net assets - profit/(loss) on ordinary activities before taxation and before non-recurring items and income from other fixed asset investments, as a percentage of net assets. |
| 5. Free cash flow - comprises the net cash flows from operating activities, less cash outflows due to capital expenditure. |
| KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI's) |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Organic sales (decline)/growth | (7.94%) | (3.44%) |
| Gross return on sales | 14.69% | 12.87% |
| Net return on sales | 4.90% | 4.57% |
| Return on net assets | 21.11% | 26.86% |
| Free cash flow | £31k | £7,035k |
| In addition, the company uses a number of non-financial performance indicators, including measures to monitor quality and wastage at each site. |
| ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD: |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Report of the Directors |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| The directors present their report with the financial statements of the company for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025. |
| DIVIDENDS |
| There was a profit on ordinary activities after taxation for the year amounting to £10,825,929 (2024: £8,875,970). Dividends received totalled £60,000 (2024: £125,000). No dividends were recommended or paid during the period (2024: £Nil). |
| FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS |
| During the period under review, the food and agricultural sectors have faced a number of challenges including economic pressures from rising inflation and increasingly inconsistent UK harvests that make sourcing suitable wheat increasingly difficult. Consistent demand coupled with increasing UK population are boosting demand for food products which place further demand on the food and agriculture sectors to produce high quality, value for money, sustainable products. To mitigate these challenges the company is always looking ahead to diversify supply sources, develop alternative products, collaborate with suppliers, invest in research and development and sustainable initiatives, embrace new technology and stay informed about market trends. Despite it not being practicable to accurately predict the outcome of future trends or requirements, the company has not experienced a material negative impact to date and does not anticipate being adversely affected over the next year. |
| The company positions itself to be agile and able to make sufficient investment where necessary to meet future organic growth or unexpected demand for its products. |
| DIRECTORS |
| The directors shown below have held office during the whole of the period from 31 March 2024 to the date of this report. |
| Other changes in directors holding office are as follows: |
| ENGAGEMENT WITH EMPLOYEES |
| The company places considerable value on the involvement of its employees. It has regular communication, with its management and with its employees directly, keeping them informed of matters affecting them as individuals, on the various factors affecting the company in general and in respect of its pension schemes. |
| DISABLED EMPLOYEES |
| The company recognises their responsibility towards disabled persons. Applications for employment by disabled persons are always fully considered, bearing in mind the aptitudes and abilities of the applicant concerned. |
| In the event of members of staff becoming disabled, every effort is made to ensure that their employment with the company continues and that appropriate training is arranged. |
| It is the policy of the company that the training, career development and promotion of disabled persons should, as far as possible, be identical to that of the other employees. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Report of the Directors |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| ENGAGEMENT WITH SUPPLIERS, CUSTOMERS AND OTHERS |
| The company believes that engagement with its stakeholders has an important role to play in achieving its strategy, helping it to be a responsible business, delivering long-term sustainable growth. |
| How the company engages with its key stakeholders is set out below. |
| Customers |
| As described within Other Price Risk in the Strategic Report, the company continues to strive to achieve its overriding aim of building and maintaining good customer relationships, a key ingredient of which is regular dialogue. These relationships culminate in long term contracts, ensuring continuity and helping the business plan and deliver in the long term. |
| Workforce |
| The company has an experienced and dedicated workforce and has a responsibility to ensure that all employees work in a safe environment and have opportunities to learn and develop their careers. Careers can start with apprenticeships and can continue through internal promotion schemes up to management and subsequent development programmes. |
| The company is an equal opportunities employer and has a formal whistleblowing policy in place to allow employees to raise any concerns or issues they have confidentially. |
| Suppliers |
| The company places great emphasis on its relationship with its raw material suppliers and, wherever possible, looks to support local arable farmers who provide it with grain. It helps to achieve this by contracting a large percentage of the milling wheat purchases directly with farmers as opposed to being fully dependent on merchants for supplies. This gives a better understanding of issues which may occur in the supply chain and allows the business to provide support to the farmers in a bad harvest year, whilst ensuring that suppliers meet the company's policies on ethical trading, health and safety, anti-bribery, competition law compliance and anti-slavery. The company is a member of Sedex and undergoes SMETA social audits to understand working conditions in their supply chain. |
| Community and environment |
| As well as considering the impact on its supply chain, the company considers the impact it has in the areas it operates, including local businesses, residents and charities. A significant number of its employees come from the local community and the company makes charitable contributions to charities serving those communities. During the year, the company made charitable contributions of £2,441 (2024: £4,478), principally to local charities but also in exceptional wider global community cases. |
| The company takes environmental matters very seriously. It is committed to continuing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by participating in an ongoing programme to become ever more efficient in its energy usage. |
| Government and society |
| The company believes in the importance of acting responsibly and operating with high standards of business conduct, including governance in relation to UK taxation. The company also takes an active role in seeking to shape and influence debates around key issues in society relating to food safety, nutrition, health and wellbeing issues through membership of organisations such as the National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers, Campden BRI, the Food and Drink Federation and the Federation of Bakers. |
| Banks and pension schemes |
| The company's bankers provide essential financing which supports the long-term future of the company and the group. |
| The company has long-established defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes and fully engages regularly with their trustees, members, actuaries and professional advisors. As part of this engagement, the company will ensure that the deficit recovery plan is adhered to when the scheme is in deficit. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Report of the Directors |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| STREAMLINED ENERGY AND CARBON REPORTING |
| The company has not included its energy and carbon report on the basis that its results are included in the consolidated financial statements of its parent company. Details of the parent company in which full disclosure can be found are contained in the 'Ultimate Controlling Party' note. |
| DISCLOSURE IN THE STRATEGIC REPORT |
| Principal activity, financial risk management objectives and policies and the exposure to credit, liquidity, interest rate and other price risks are set out in the strategic report (as defined by section 414 C (11) of the Companies Act 2006). |
| STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS' RESPONSIBILITIES |
| The directors are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report, the Report of the Directors and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. |
| Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to: |
| - | select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; |
| - | make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; |
| - | state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; |
| - | prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. |
| The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. |
| STATEMENT AS TO DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO AUDITORS |
| So far as the directors are aware, there is no relevant audit information (as defined by Section 418 of the Companies Act 2006) of which the company's auditors are unaware, and each director has taken all the steps that he or she ought to have taken as a director in order to make himself or herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company's auditors are aware of that information. |
| AUDITORS |
| The auditors, Clifford Roberts, will be proposed for re-appointment at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. |
| ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD: |
| Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of |
| Heygates Limited |
| Opinion |
| We have audited the financial statements of Heygates Limited (the 'company') for the period ended 29 March 2025 which comprise the Income Statement, Other Comprehensive Income, Balance Sheet, Statement of Changes in Equity and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). |
| In our opinion the financial statements: |
| - | give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 29 March 2025 and of its profit for the period then ended; |
| - | have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and |
| - | have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. |
| Basis for opinion |
| We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. |
| Conclusions relating to going concern |
| 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 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. |
| Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. |
| Other information |
| The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information in the Strategic Report and the Report of the Directors, but does not include the financial statements and our Report of the Auditors thereon. |
| Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. |
| In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. |
| Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 |
| In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit: |
| - | the information given in the Strategic Report and the Report of the Directors for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and |
| - | the Strategic Report and the Report of the Directors have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. |
| Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of |
| Heygates Limited |
| Matters on which we are required to report by exception |
| In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic Report or the Report of the Directors. |
| We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: |
| - | adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or |
| - | the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or |
| - | certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or |
| - | we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. |
| Responsibilities of directors |
| As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors' Responsibilities set out on page six, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. |
| In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. |
| Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of |
| Heygates Limited |
| Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements |
| Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue a Report of the Auditors that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. |
| Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: |
| - | We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the company and the sector in which they operate. We determined that the following laws and regulations were most significant: the Companies Act 2006, UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, UK corporate taxation laws and the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety. |
| - | We obtained an understanding of how the company is complying with those legal and regulatory frameworks by making inquiries to the management and by observing the oversight of management, the culture of honesty and ethical behaviour and whether strong emphasis is placed on fraud prevention, which may reduce the opportunities for fraud to take place, and fraud deterrence, which could persuade individuals not to commit fraud in the first instance. We corroborated our inquiries through our review of all relevant available audit information. |
| - | We assessed and understood the susceptibility of the company's financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur. Based on this understanding we designed our audit procedures to identify non-compliance with such laws and regulations. The audit procedures performed by the engagement team included: |
| > | identifying and assessing the design and effectiveness of controls management has in place to prevent and detect fraud; |
| > | understanding of how senior management considered and addressed the potential for override of controls or other inappropriate influence over the financial reporting process; |
| > | challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in its significant accounting estimates; |
| > | performing audit work over the risk of management override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for bias; and, |
| > | assessing the extent of compliance with relevant laws and regulations. |
| Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation. |
| A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Report of the Auditors. |
| Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of |
| Heygates Limited |
| Use of our report |
| This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in a Report of the Auditors and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. |
| for and on behalf of |
| Chartered Accountants & |
| Statutory Auditors |
| Pacioli House |
| 9 Brookfield |
| Duncan Close |
| Northampton |
| Northamptonshire |
| NN3 6WL |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Income Statement |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 to 29.3.25 | 2.4.23 to 30.3.24 |
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| TURNOVER | 3 |
| Cost of sales |
| GROSS PROFIT |
| Distribution costs |
| Administrative expenses |
| 24,832,479 | 28,003,886 |
| 11,955,625 | 7,010,727 |
| Other operating income |
| OPERATING PROFIT | 5 |
| Exceptional gains on fair |
| value adjustments | 6 |
| 12,049,139 | 11,869,787 |
| Income from participating interests | 7 |
| Interest receivable and similar income | 8 |
| Other finance income | 22 |
| 1,781,945 | 677,710 |
| 13,831,084 | 12,547,497 |
| Other finance costs | 22 |
| PROFIT BEFORE TAXATION |
| Tax on profit | 9 |
| PROFIT FOR THE FINANCIAL PERIOD |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Other Comprehensive Income |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| Notes | £ | £ |
| PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD |
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME |
| FRS 102 actuarial gains | ( |
) |
| Income tax relating to other comprehensive income |
( |
) |
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE PERIOD, NET OF INCOME TAX |
( |
) |
| TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE PERIOD |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Balance Sheet |
| 29 March 2025 |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| FIXED ASSETS |
| Tangible assets | 10 |
| Investments | 11 |
| CURRENT ASSETS |
| Stocks | 12 |
| Debtors | 13 |
| CREDITORS |
| Amounts falling due within one year | 14 |
| NET CURRENT ASSETS |
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES |
| PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES | 19 | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| PENSION LIABILITY | 22 | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| NET ASSETS |
| CAPITAL AND RESERVES |
| Called up share capital | 20 |
| Retained earnings | 21 |
| SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS |
| The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Statement of Changes in Equity |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| Called up |
| share | Retained | Total |
| capital | earnings | equity |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Balance at 2 April 2023 |
| Changes in equity |
| Total comprehensive income | - |
| Balance at 30 March 2024 |
| Changes in equity |
| Total comprehensive income | - |
| Balance at 29 March 2025 |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 1. | PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS |
| Heygates Limited is a private company, limited by shares, incorporated and domiciled in England and has its registered office and principal place of business at Bugbrooke Mills, Bugbrooke, Northampton, NN7 3QH. The company's registered number can be found on the Company Information page. |
| 2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
| Basis of preparing the financial statements |
| These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable United Kingdom accounting standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 - "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" ("FRS 102") and with the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis except for the modification to a fair value basis for certain financial instruments as specified in the accounting policies below. |
| The financial statements are presented in Sterling (£) and cover the period to the Saturday that falls closest to the 31st March each year. This results in the comparatives being not entirely comparable. |
| Financial Reporting Standard 102 - reduced disclosure exemptions |
| The company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemptions in preparing these financial statements, as permitted by FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland": |
| • | the requirements of Section 7 Statement of Cash Flows; |
| • | the requirements of paragraphs 11.42, 11.44, 11.45, 11.47, 11.48(a)(iii), 11.48(a)(iv), 11.48(b) and 11.48(c); |
| • | the requirements of paragraphs 12.26, 12.27, 12.29(a), 12.29(b) and 12.29A. |
| Details of the parent company in which full disclosure can be found are contained in the 'Ultimate Controlling Party' note. |
| Related party exemption |
| The company has taken advantage of exemption, under the terms of Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland', not to disclose related party transactions with wholly owned subsidiaries within the group. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued |
| Significant judgements and estimates |
| In the application of the company's accounting policies, management is required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. |
| The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are described below. |
| (a) Valuation of pension obligations |
| The fair value of the Company's defined benefit scheme is determined each year following advice from a qualified, independent actuary and can fluctuate based on a number of external factors, which are subject to major assumptions. These assumptions are described fully in the 'Employee Benefit Obligations' note. |
| In the current year, the £2,186,500 (2024: £3,085,500) deficit has been recognised in the accounts giving rise to a deferred tax charge of £9,625 (2024 credit: £556,250) through other comprehensive income and a deferred tax charge of £215,125 (2024 credit: £215,125) through the income statement. |
| (b) Present value of related party loans |
| In determining the present value of related party loans, management have used an effective rate of interest from similar market loans. Due to the nature of the loan, future cash flows have also been estimated so that a present value can be reached. |
| (c) Determining net realisable values of stocks |
| In determining the net realisable value of stocks, management takes into account the most reliable evidence available at the dates the estimates are made. |
| (d) Trade debtors |
| The directors carefully consider the recoverability of trade debtors based on their experience of customers' payment history and the likelihood of recovery. |
| (e) Fair value of future contracts |
| In determining the fair value of future contracts, an independent third party financial services network uses the most reliable trade prices to generate an open position valuation at the period end date. The fair value of the future contracts included within net current assets at the period end was a liability of £903,528 (2024: £214,617). The movement in fair value has been recorded in the income statement in the current year as a cost of £688,911 (2024: exceptional gain of £4,783,018). |
| (f) Determining net book value of tangible fixed assets |
| In determining net book value of tangible fixed assets, management estimate both the residual value and the useful economic lives of the assets. Both judgements rely on the experience of management. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued |
| Turnover |
| Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, excluding discounts, rebates, value added tax and other sales taxes. |
| Turnover represents the invoiced amount of goods sold, stated net of value added tax. The turnover and pre-tax profit is wholly attributable to the sole activity of flour milling, and is recognised upon evidence of delivery. |
| Income from operating leases |
| Rental income from operating leases is recognised on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease. Initial direct costs incurred in negotiating and arranging an operating lease are added to the carrying amount of the leased asset and recognised on a straight line basis over the lease term. |
| Investment income |
| Income from investments is included in the income statement of the accounting period in which it is received. |
| Tangible fixed assets |
| Land and buildings | - |
| Plant and machinery | - |
| Office equipment | - |
| Motor vehicles | - |
| Freehold land is not depreciated. |
| Items costing £5,000, or less, and not part of a wider project costing more than £5,000, are written off to the income statement as repairs and renewals. |
| Investments in joint ventures |
| Fixed asset investments comprise of unquoted shares in joint ventures which are stated at cost less impairment. Impairment losses are recognised immediately in the statement of income. The details of the investments are shown in the 'Fixed Asset Investments' note. The consolidated financial statements of the parent company, Heygates and Sons Limited, include the joint venture using the equity method in line with the requirements of FRS 102 Section 15 - "Investment in Joint Ventures". |
| Stocks |
| Stocks are stated at the lower of cost price and net realisable value. Raw materials are valued at cost price, calculated on a first in first out basis. Finished goods are valued at the cost of direct materials plus a percentage to cover overheads and labour costs. Net realisable value is based on estimated selling prices less further costs expected to be incurred to completion and disposal. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued |
| Financial instruments |
| Heygates Limited enters into basic financial instrument transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivable and payable, loans, balances to and from related parties and invoice discounting facilities. |
| Debt instruments (other than those wholly repayable or receivable in one year), including loans and other accounts receivable and payable, are initially measured at the present value of future cash flows and subsequently at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. Debt instruments that are payable or receivable within one year, typically trade debtors and creditors, are measured, initially and subsequently, at the undiscounted amount of the cash or other consideration, expected to be paid or received. |
| Financial assets that are measured at cost and amortised cost are assessed at the end of each reporting period for objective evidence of impairment. If objective impairment is found, an impairment loss is recognised in the income statement. |
| Derivatives, including futures, are not considered basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date the derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in the income statement as either costs or credits as appropriate. |
| Taxation |
| Taxation for the period comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the Income Statement, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity. |
| Current or deferred taxation assets and liabilities are not discounted. |
| Current tax is recognised at the amount of tax payable using the tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date. |
| Deferred tax |
| Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences that have originated but not reversed at the balance sheet date. |
| Timing differences arise from the inclusion of income and expenses in tax assessments in periods different from those in which they are recognised in financial statements. Deferred tax is measured using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the period end and that are expected to apply to the reversal of the timing difference. |
| Unrelieved tax losses and other deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. |
| Foreign currencies |
| Assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate of exchange ruling at the date of transaction. Exchange differences are taken into account in arriving at the operating result. |
| Leasing commitments |
| Rentals under operating leases are charged on a straight line basis over the lease term, even if the payments are not made on such a basis. Benefits received and receivable as an incentive to sign an operating lease are similarly spread on a straight line basis over the lease term. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued |
| Pension and post employment benefits |
| In accordance with FRS 102 Section 28 - "Employee benefits", the operating and financing costs of pension and post-retirement schemes are recognised separately in the profit and loss account. Service costs are systematically spread over the service lives of the employees and financing costs are recognised in the period in which they arise. The costs of past service benefit enhancements, settlements and curtailments are also recognised in the period in which they arise. |
| The difference between actual and expected returns on assets during the year, including changes in actuarial assumptions, are recognised in the statement of other comprehensive income. |
| The disclosure required by FRS 102 Section 28 - "Employee benefits" are given in the 'Employee Benefit Obligations' note. |
| 3. | TURNOVER |
| The turnover and profit before taxation are attributable to the one principal activity of the company. |
| An analysis of turnover by geographical market is given below: |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| United Kingdom | 243,151,063 | 263,126,748 |
| Rest of Europe | 7,280,223 | 8,910,115 |
| 4. | EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTORS |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Wages and salaries | 14,486,141 | 14,057,389 |
| Social security costs | 1,600,678 | 1,523,196 |
| Other pension costs | 2,257,759 | 4,126,008 |
| 18,344,578 | 19,706,593 |
| The average monthly number of employees during the year was made up as follows: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| No. | No. |
| Office and management | 75 | 75 |
| Milling and production | 149 | 151 |
| Selling and distribution | 44 | 43 |
| 268 | 269 |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Directors' remuneration |
| Directors' pension contributions to money purchase schemes |
| The number of directors to whom retirement benefits were accruing was as follows: |
| Money purchase schemes |
| Defined benefit schemes |
| Information regarding the highest paid director is as follows: |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Emoluments etc |
| 5. | OPERATING PROFIT |
| The operating profit is stated after charging/(crediting): |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Depreciation - owned assets |
| Loss/(profit) on disposal of fixed assets | ( |
) |
| Auditors' remuneration |
| Auditors' remuneration for |
| non-audit work |
| Foreign exchange differences |
| Auditors' remuneration for associated pension schemes |
| Operating lease rentals in respect of motor vehicles |
| Rent of land and buildings |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 6. | EXCEPTIONAL ITEMS |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Exceptional gains on fair |
| value adjustments |
| As customers continue to buy forward, the ability to source physical wheat becomes increasingly difficult. To limit this exposure, in an ever fluctuating market, the company covers its position against these sales by entering into numerous future contracts. The directors are of the opinion that the fair value movements on such contracts in relation to future wheat purchases should be regarded as costs of sales rather than finance costs under normal trading conditions. In the prior year, the open grain future purchase contracts were fair valued by an independent third party financial services network and showed substantial gains over committed purchase costs at the year end. Given the unexpected circumstances, the directors were of the opinion that these gains were an exceptional item because of their unusually large size and incidence. Accordingly, this was reported as exceptional gains on fair value adjustments. These gains reversed out in the subsequent period when the contracts expired. |
| 7. | INCOME FROM PARTICIPATING INTERESTS |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Interest in joint venture |
| The income from the participating interests is in the form of dividends and £1,380,000 of profit on the sale of GLP Systems Limited in the current period (see 'Fixed Asset Investments' note). |
| 8. | INTEREST RECEIVABLE AND SIMILAR INCOME |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Interest on loans |
| Interest income on present |
| value of interest free loans |
| Corporation tax interest |
| Bank interest |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 9. | TAXATION |
| Analysis of the tax charge |
| The tax charge on the profit for the period was as follows: |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Current tax: |
| UK corporation tax |
| Under provision of tax in respect of prior years | 1,119 | 70,746 |
| Purchase of tax losses from |
| fellow group companies | 2,050,055 | 1,835,102 |
| Total current tax |
| Deferred tax | ( |
) |
| Tax on profit |
| Reconciliation of total tax charge included in profit and loss |
| The tax assessed for the period is lower than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK. The difference is explained below: |
| Period | Period |
| 31.3.24 | 2.4.23 |
| to | to |
| 29.3.25 | 30.3.24 |
| £ | £ |
| Profit before tax |
| Profit multiplied by the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of |
| Effects of: |
| Expenses not deductible for tax purposes | ( |
) |
| Income not taxable for tax purposes | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| Capital allowances in excess of depreciation | ( |
) | - |
| Depreciation in excess of capital allowances | - |
| Adjustments to tax charge in respect of previous periods |
| Losses (utilised)/surrendered for group relief | (2,075,510 | ) | (1,867,419 | ) |
| Deferred tax charge | 506,880 | (411,494 | ) |
| Dividends received not taxable | (15,000 | ) | (31,250 | ) |
| Adjustment for FRS 102 Section 28 | 32,125 | (47,375 | ) |
| Losses purchased from group companies | 2,050,055 | 1,835,102 |
| Total tax charge | 2,876,655 | 3,671,527 |
| Tax effects relating to effects of other comprehensive income |
| 31.3.24 to 29.3.25 |
| Gross | Tax | Net |
| £ | £ | £ |
| FRS 102 actuarial gains | (9,625 | ) | 1,017,875 |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 9. | TAXATION - continued |
| 2.4.23 to 30.3.24 |
| Gross | Tax | Net |
| £ | £ | £ |
| FRS 102 actuarial losses | ( |
) | 556,250 | (1,668,750 | ) |
| The deferred tax (charge)/credit relates to the actuarial gains/(losses) in respect of the defined benefit pension scheme. |
| 10. | TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS |
| Land and | Plant and | Office | Motor |
| buildings | machinery | equipment | vehicles | Totals |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| COST |
| At 31 March 2024 |
| Additions |
| Disposals | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| At 29 March 2025 |
| DEPRECIATION |
| At 31 March 2024 |
| Charge for period |
| Eliminated on disposal | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| At 29 March 2025 |
| NET BOOK VALUE |
| At 29 March 2025 |
| At 30 March 2024 |
| Land and buildings include freehold land and leasehold land and buildings as follows: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Net book amount: |
| Freehold land and buildings | 311,776 | 311,776 |
| Short leasehold land and buildings | 857,342 | 972,840 |
| 1,169,118 | 1,284,616 |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 11. | FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS |
| Interest |
| in joint |
| venture |
| £ |
| COST |
| At 31 March 2024 |
| Disposals | ( |
) |
| At 29 March 2025 |
| NET BOOK VALUE |
| At 29 March 2025 |
| At 30 March 2024 |
| The company's investments at the Balance Sheet date in the share capital of companies include the following: |
| Joint ventures |
| Registered office: 45 Queen Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 6EY |
| Nature of business: |
| % |
| Class of shares: | holding |
| £ |
| Aggregate capital and reserves |
| Profit for the period/year |
| On the 11th April, 2024, Green Light Packaging Limited demerged its air cushion business into a new |
| entity called GLP Systems Limited. As part of the demerger a new parent company, Green Light |
| Packaging Holdings Limited, acquired Green Light Packaging Limited via a share for share exchange. |
| Following the demerger, on the 25th March, 2025, GLP Systems Limited was sold to GLP Systems EOT Trustees Limited. The joint venture companies in this note reflect the position at the year end. |
| The principal country of operation of the companies is the United Kingdom, and they are registered in England. The companies both have a 31st July year end and are therefore non-coterminous with the rest of the group. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 11. | FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS - continued |
| Registered office: 45 Queen Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 6EY |
| Nature of business: |
| % |
| Class of shares: | holding |
| £ | £ |
| Aggregate capital and reserves |
| Loss for the year | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| The company above was incorporated on the 9th May, 1994 and was an investment with two other shareholders to sell loose fill manufacture packaging materials. |
| In July 2015, Heygates Limited increased its ownership of the two associates below from 40% to 50% following the redemption of the shares owned by another shareholder. |
| On 30th June, 2016 Green Light Products Limited changed its name to Green Light Packaging Limited and acquired the shares of its sister company, Green Light International Limited. |
| On the 1st July, 2016 Green Light International Limited transferred its net assets of £1,383,448 to Green Light Packaging Limited at net book value. |
| Post the re-organisation and as of the 1st April, 2017, the company regards the investment in Green Light Packaging Limited and its subsidiary Green Light International Limited, as a joint venture which is disclosed above. |
| 12. | STOCKS |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Raw materials |
| Finished goods |
| 13. | DEBTORS |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Amounts falling due within one year: |
| Trade debtors |
| Amounts owed by group undertakings |
| Amounts owed by related parties | 151,149 | 77,606 |
| Other debtors |
| Other loans | 690,217 | 5,048,077 |
| Tax |
| VAT |
| Prepayments and accrued income |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 13. | DEBTORS - continued |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Amounts falling due after more than one year: |
| Amounts owed by associates |
| Loan to SAM SA | 154,474 | 154,474 |
| Aggregate amounts |
| 14. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Bank loans and overdrafts (see note 15) |
| Trade creditors |
| Amounts owed to group undertakings |
| Amounts owed to related parties | 74,286 | 46,549 |
| Tax |
| Social security and other taxes |
| Other creditors |
| Derivative liability | 903,528 | 214,617 |
| Accruals and deferred income |
| 15. | LOANS |
| An analysis of the maturity of loans is given below: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Amounts falling due within one year or on demand: |
| Bank overdrafts |
| 16. | LEASING AGREEMENTS |
| Minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases fall due as follows: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Within one year |
| Between one and five years |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 17. | SECURED DEBTS |
| The following secured debts are included within creditors: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Bank overdrafts |
| The bank overdraft is secured by an unlimited multilateral group guarantee. The other loans relates to an invoice discounting facility which is secured over the applicable trade debtor balances. This balance is presently included within debtors as the facility is in credit. |
| 18. | DERIVATIVES AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Financial assets/(liabilities) | See notes | £ | £ |
| Measured at fair value through profit or loss |
| - Derivative contracts | 14 | (903,528 | ) | (214,617 | ) |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Income and expense | £ | £ |
| Total income for financial assets at fair value | - | 4,783,018 |
| Total expense for financial liabilities at fair value | 688,911 | - |
| The derivative is in respect of contracts to purchase wheat in the future. Future contracts fair values were determined using an independent third party financial services network who use reliable trade prices to generate an open position at the period end. There are no significant terms or conditions inherent within the future contracts that would have a material impact on the company's cash flow. |
| The directors are of the opinion that fair value movements on future contracts in relation to wheat purchases should be regarded as cost of sales, rather than finance costs, and disclose them as such under normal trading conditions. At the prior period end, the gains are exceptional and they have been separately disclosed in the income statement as explained in the 'Exceptional Items' note. Losses incurred in the current year are not deemed as exceptional as they formed partly from the normalisation of the grain price from the value in the prior year and from normal trading conditions. |
| 19. | PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Deferred tax |
| Accelerated capital allowances |
| Other timing differences | 224,750 | (771,375 | ) |
| 1,909,208 | 1,392,703 |
| Deferred |
| tax |
| £ |
| Balance at 31 March 2024 |
| Charge to Income Statement during period |
| Debit to OCI | 9,625 |
| Balance at 29 March 2025 |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 19. | PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES - continued |
| The deferred tax provision has been calculated at 25%, the rate at which most timing differences are expected to reverse. |
| 20. | CALLED UP SHARE CAPITAL |
| Allotted, issued and fully paid: |
| Number: | Class: | Nominal | 2025 | 2024 |
| value: | £ | £ |
| Ordinary | £1 | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Called up share capital |
| This represents the nominal value of shares that have been issued. |
| 21. | RESERVES |
| Retained |
| earnings |
| £ |
| At 31 March 2024 |
| Profit for the period |
| Net actuarial loss on defined |
| benefit pension scheme | 1,017,875 |
| At 29 March 2025 |
| Retained earnings |
| This reserve includes all current and prior period retained profit and losses. |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 22. | EMPLOYEE BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS |
| Heygates Limited is one of the sponsoring companies of the Heygate Group Pension and Life Assurance Scheme. For the period ended 29th March, 2025 the costs of the group pension have been shared between Heygates Limited and Fine Lady Bakeries Limited. |
| The long serving employees of the company, with the exception of certain directors, are members of the Heygate Group Pension and Life Assurance Scheme which provides defined pension and lump sum benefits payable to members on their retirement from the Heygate Group, or to their dependants on death before or after retirement. The scheme is of the defined benefit type for eligible members, and this scheme was closed to new members on 1st October, 2002, and on the 30th September, 2010 the scheme ceased further accruals of pensionable service. |
| The assets of the scheme are held in trustee administered funds separate from the company's assets. |
| For all employees starting employment since 2nd October, 2002, and for existing scheme members in relation to pensionable service from 1st October, 2010, the company has a separate plan from the scheme which provides defined contribution benefits. The assets of the plan are held separately from those of the company in independently administered funds. |
| The total defined contribution pension cost for the company for the year was £1,257,759 (2024: £1,126,008). |
| The level of contributions to the defined benefit scheme is assessed in accordance with the advice of an independent, qualified actuary and is calculated so as to spread the charge to profit and loss over the average service periods of current employees in the scheme. The scheme is valued using the projected unit method. |
| The most recent actuarial valuation was carried out on 30th September, 2023. |
| As the defined benefit scheme has been closed to new entrants, the age profile of active members is increasing over time. Under the projected unit method, the current service cost will increase as active members of the scheme approach retirement. As a result of the cessation of further accruals of pensionable service the costs of funding the liability to pay future pensions to serving members will decrease. |
| Based on the assumptions listed below, and using the projected unit method, the value of the assets less obligations equated to an overall liability of £2,186,500 (2024: liability of £3,085,500), after making allowances for the expected future increases in earnings and increases to pensions in payment. |
| The market value of the scheme assets as at 30th September, 2023 amounted to £63,100,000 (£107,200,000 at 1st October, 2020) as per the last full actuarial valuation. The valuation was then updated by independent qualified actuaries to 31st March, 2025. |
| Following the triennial valuation at 30th September, 2023, the trustees, the sponsoring companies and the group confirmed their adherence to a recovery plan designed to eliminate the deficit by December 2028. |
| During the period, recovery plan payments of £2,000,000 (2024: £2,000,000) were accrued and £2,000,000 (2024: £1,000,000) were paid to the defined benefit pension scheme. These payments were made by the company but the accrual has been shared equally with another sponsoring company. |
| Due to the timing difference between the accrual of the deficit recovery payments and the reporting of them in the actuarial valuation, the total cost of pension schemes recognised in the income statement during the period is £2,386,259 (2024: £4,986,508). |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 22. | EMPLOYEE BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS - continued |
| The amounts recognised in the balance sheet are as follows: |
| Defined benefit |
| pension plans |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Present value of funded obligations | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| Fair value of plan assets |
| (2,186,500 | ) | (3,085,500 | ) |
| Present value of unfunded obligations |
| Deficit | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| Net liability | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| The amounts recognised in profit or loss are as follows: |
| Defined benefit |
| pension plans |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Current service cost |
| Net interest from net defined benefit asset/liability |
128,500 |
(189,500 |
) |
| Past service cost |
| 128,500 | 860,500 |
| Actual return on plan assets | ( |
) |
| Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation are as follows: |
| Defined benefit |
| pension plans |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Opening defined benefit obligation |
| Past service cost |
| Interest cost |
| Actuarial (gains)/losses | ( |
) |
| Benefits paid | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 22. | EMPLOYEE BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS - continued |
| Changes in the fair value of scheme assets are as follows: |
| Defined benefit |
| pension plans |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Opening fair value of scheme assets |
| Contributions by employer |
| Expected return | 1,647,500 | 1,728,000 |
| Actuarial (losses)/gains | ( |
) |
| Benefits paid | (2,116,000 | ) | (2,408,500 | ) |
| The amounts recognised in other comprehensive income are as follows: |
| Defined benefit |
| pension plans |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Actuarial gains/(losses) | ( |
) |
| Deferred tax on actuarial gains/(losses) | (9,625 | ) | 556,250 |
| 1,017,875 | (1,668,750 | ) |
| The major categories of scheme assets as amounts of total scheme assets are as follows: |
| Defined benefit |
| pension plans |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Hedge funds |
| Equities | 9,616,500 | 9,799,500 |
| Private markets | 6,338,000 | 6,285,000 |
| Property | 1,890,000 | 1,994,500 |
| Liability driven investments | 6,703,000 | 7,548,000 |
| Insured pensions |
| Other | 1,234,000 | 2,226,500 |
| Cash | 2,497,500 | 2,945,000 |
| 30,971,500 | 33,836,000 |
| Principal actuarial assumptions at the balance sheet date (expressed as weighted averages): |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Discount rate |
| Future salary increases - staff members |
| Future salary increases - works members |
| LPI pension increases | 2.70% | 2.75% |
| Inflation | 3.10% | 3.20% |
| Deferred pension revaluations | 2.70% | 2.70% |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 22. | EMPLOYEE BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS - continued |
| The mortality assumptions adopted at the period end imply the following life expectancies: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| No. of years | No. of years |
| For a male aged 65 now | 20.3 | 20.3 |
| At 65 for a male member aged 45 now | 20.9 | 20.9 |
| For a female aged 65 now | 23.0 | 22.9 |
| At 65 for a female member aged 45 now | 23.9 | 23.8 |
| 23. | CONTINGENT LIABILITIES |
| There is a contingent liability in respect of an unlimited multilateral guarantee, dated 31st July, 2008, covering the bank overdrafts of the company, its holding company and the following fellow subsidiaries: |
| The Heygate Engineering Company Limited | Warburton Estate Company Limited |
| Fine Lady Bakeries Limited | Heygate Farms Swaffham Limited |
| County Pride Products Limited | Heygate Grain Limited |
| Heygate Leasing Limited | Millstream Investments Limited |
| FA Bird (Downham Mills) Limited | Heygates Country Feeds Limited |
| The maximum amount payable is the net overdraft of the group at each period end. |
| There is a contingent liability in respect of a guarantee, dated 17th September, 2002, in favour of HMRC Deferment Section for £45,000. |
| There is a contingent liability in respect of a guarantee to the Rural Payments Agency dated 2nd July, 2015 for £40,000. |
| 24. | RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Dividends received |
| Profit on sale of joint venture | 1,380,000 | - |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Compensation |
| Balances owed by key management | 2,934 | 4,623 |
| Balances owed to key management | 7,388 | 7,388 |
| Advances to key management repaid in year | 67,188 | 88,157 |
| Heygates Limited (Registered number: 00603238) |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the period 31 March 2024 to 29 March 2025 |
| 24. | RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES - continued |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Recharges |
| Purchases |
| Rent paid | 288,540 | 288,540 |
| Net loan interest receivable | 245,405 | 241,414 |
| Amount due from related parties |
| Amount due to related parties |
| 25. | AUDITOR LIABILITY LIMITATION AGREEMENT |
| On the 11th December, 2024, a resolution was passed by the Heygate and Sons Limited group of companies entering into an agreement limiting the amount of any liability owed to the group of companies by the auditor in respect of any negligence, default or breach of duty occurring in the course of the audit of the financial statements for the year ending 29th March, 2025. |
| The maximum aggregate amount of the auditor's liability to the group of companies shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five times the fees payable for the financial year in question, or £5,000,000, which ever is the lesser amount. |
| 26. | ULTIMATE CONTROLLING PARTY |
| The directors consider that the ultimate parent company is Heygate and Sons Limited, which owns 100% of the issued ordinary share capital. Heygate and Sons Limited is a company registered in England that shares the same registered office as Heygates Limited. |
| Heygate and Sons Limited has a controlling nucleus of Mr AR Heygate and Mrs SE Kreckler. Mr AR Heygate owns 5.05% of the voting issued ordinary share capital personally and 31.73% of the voting issued ordinary share capital as a principal trustee of family trusts. Mrs SE Kreckler owns 36.72% of the voting issued ordinary share capital personally. |
| Heygate and Sons Limited's consolidated financial statements are available at Companies House. |