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Registration number: 04702238

Bernard Cox Limited

Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025

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Chartered Accountants

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Contents

Company Information

1

Accountants' Report

2

Balance Sheet

3

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements

4 to 11

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Company Information

Directors

B J Cox

Mrs E M M Cox

Company secretary

Mrs E M M Cox

Registered office

Hilltop
Druce Farm
Puddletown
DORCHESTER
Dorset
DT2 7SU

Accountants

Edwards and Keeping Limited
Chartered Accountants
Unity Chambers
34 High East Street
Dorchester
Dorset
DT1 1HA

 

Chartered Accountants' Report to the Board of Directors on the Preparation of the Unaudited Statutory Accounts of
Bernard Cox Limitedfor the Year Ended 31 March 2025

In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the accounts of Bernard Cox Limited for the year ended 31 March 2025 as set out on pages 3 to 11 from the company's accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.

As a practising member firm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which are detailed at
http://www.icaew.com/regulation.

This report is made solely to the Board of Directors of Bernard Cox Limited, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter dated 15 December 2021. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the accounts of Bernard Cox Limited and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the Board of Directors of Bernard Cox Limited, as a body, in this report in accordance with ICAEW Technical Release 07/16 AAF. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than Bernard Cox Limited and its Board of Directors as a body for our work or for this report.

It is your duty to ensure that Bernard Cox Limited has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory accounts that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of Bernard Cox Limited. You consider that Bernard Cox Limited is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year.

We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the accounts of Bernard Cox Limited. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory accounts.






Edwards and Keeping Limited
Chartered Accountants
Unity Chambers
34 High East Street
Dorchester
Dorset
DT1 1HA

30 December 2025

 

Bernard Cox Limited

(Registration number: 04702238)
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

Note

2025
£

2024
£

Fixed assets

 

Intangible assets

4

1

1

Tangible assets

5

21,227,067

13,262,983

 

21,227,068

13,262,984

Current assets

 

Stocks

214,884

87,695

Debtors

6

580,869

1,947,656

Cash at bank and in hand

 

527,587

299,971

 

1,323,340

2,335,322

Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

7

(3,319,855)

(1,450,012)

Net current (liabilities)/assets

 

(1,996,515)

885,310

Total assets less current liabilities

 

19,230,553

14,148,294

Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year

7

(7,087,130)

(2,608,127)

Provisions for liabilities

(697,845)

(772,582)

Net assets

 

11,445,578

10,767,585

Capital and reserves

 

Called up share capital

8

100

100

Retained earnings

11,445,478

10,767,485

Shareholders' funds

 

11,445,578

10,767,585

For the financial year ending 31 March 2025 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

These financial statements have been delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. As permitted by section 444 (5A) of the Companies Act 2006, the directors have not delivered to the registrar a copy of the Profit and Loss Account.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 30 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
 


Mrs E M M Cox
Company secretary and director

   
     
 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1

General information

The company is a private company limited by share capital, incorporated in England and Wales.

The address of its registered office is:
Hilltop
Druce Farm
Puddletown
DORCHESTER
Dorset
DT2 7SU

2

Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 Section 1A smaller entities - 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006 (as applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime).

Basis of preparation

These financial statements have been prepared using the historical cost convention except that as disclosed in the accounting policies certain items are shown at fair value.

Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. Included within net current liabilities are loans to the company by its directors, though the directors will only seek repayment of their loans to the extent that the company is able to meet its other debts as they fall due.

Revenue recognition

Turnover comprises the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for the sale of goods and provision of services in the ordinary course of the company’s activities. Turnover is shown net of sales/value added tax, returns, rebates and discounts.

The company recognises revenue when:
The amount of revenue can be reliably measured;
it is probable that future economic benefits will flow to the entity;
and specific criteria have been met for each of the company's activities.

Tax

The tax expense for the period comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in profit or loss, except that a change attributable to an item of income or expense recognised as other comprehensive income is also recognised directly in other comprehensive income.

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date in the countries where the company operates and generates taxable income.

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences between taxable profits and profits reported in the financial statements.

Unrelieved tax losses and other deferred tax assets are recognised when it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits.

Deferred tax is measured using the tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date and that are expected to apply to the reversal of the timing difference.

Tangible assets

Tangible assets are stated in the balance sheet at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.

The cost of tangible assets includes directly attributable incremental costs incurred in their acquisition and installation.

Depreciation

Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of assets, other than land and properties under construction over their estimated useful lives, as follows:

Asset class

Depreciation method and rate

Freehold land and buildings

not depreciated

Plant and machinery etc

5 years (all plant and machinery including motor vehicles and tractors)

Leasehold property improvements

10 years straight line basis

Freehold property improvements

10 years straight line basis

No depreciation has been provided on freehold land and buildings. In the opinion of the directors, this policy is necessary to ensure that the accounts give a true and fair view.

Goodwill

Goodwill arising on the acquisition of an entity represents the excess of the cost of acquisition over the company’s interest in the net fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities of the entity recognised at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is initially recognised as an asset at cost and is subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is held in the currency of the acquired entity and revalued to the closing rate at each reporting period date. Goodwill is amortised over its useful life, which shall not exceed ten years if a reliable estimate of the useful life cannot be made.

Amortisation

Amortisation is provided on intangible assets so as to write off the cost, less any estimated residual value, over their useful life as follows:

Asset class

Amortisation method and rate

Farm entitlements

20% straight line basis

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

Trade debtors

Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business.

Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Stocks

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost is determined using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.

The cost of finished goods and work in progress comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the inventories to their present location and condition. At each reporting date, stocks are assessed for impairment. If stocks are impaired, the carrying amount is reduced to its selling price less costs to complete and sell; the impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss.

Trade creditors

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the company does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.

Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Borrowings

Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the profit and loss account over the period of the relevant borrowing.

Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the company has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.

Leases

Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessee.

Assets held under finance leases are recognised at the lower of their fair value at inception of the lease and the present value of the minimum lease payments. These assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life of the asset and the lease term. The corresponding liability to the lessor is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation.

Lease payments are apportioned between finance costs in the profit and loss account and reduction of the lease obligation so as to achieve a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.

Share capital

Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Equity instruments are measured at the fair value of the cash or other resources received or receivable, net of the direct costs of issuing the equity instruments. If payment is deferred and the time value of money is material, the initial measurement is on a present value basis.

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Defined contribution pension obligation

A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the company has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.

Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.

3

Staff numbers

The average number of persons employed by the company (including directors) during the year, was 10 (2024 - 10).

4

Intangible assets

Goodwill
 £

Total
£

Cost or valuation

At 1 April 2024

50,000

50,000

At 31 March 2025

50,000

50,000

Amortisation

At 1 April 2024

49,999

49,999

At 31 March 2025

49,999

49,999

Carrying amount

At 31 March 2025

1

1

At 31 March 2024

1

1

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

5

Tangible assets

Land and buildings
£

Long leasehold land and buildings
£

Freehold property improvements
 £

Plant and machinery
£

Total
£

Cost or valuation

At 1 April 2024

10,119,850

31,450

123,564

6,156,731

16,431,595

Additions

9,068,971

-

-

337,933

9,406,904

Disposals

(800,543)

-

-

(226,847)

(1,027,390)

At 31 March 2025

18,388,278

31,450

123,564

6,267,817

24,811,109

Depreciation

At 1 April 2024

-

28,305

73,554

3,066,753

3,168,612

Charge for the year

-

3,144

12,355

562,243

577,742

Eliminated on disposal

-

-

-

(162,312)

(162,312)

At 31 March 2025

-

31,449

85,909

3,466,684

3,584,042

Carrying amount

At 31 March 2025

18,388,278

1

37,655

2,801,133

21,227,067

At 31 March 2024

10,119,850

3,145

50,010

3,089,978

13,262,983

Included within the net book value of land and buildings above is £18,388,278 (2024 - £10,119,850) in respect of freehold land and buildings and £1 (2024 - £3,145) in respect of long leasehold land and buildings.
 

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

6

Debtors

Current

2025
£

2024
£

Trade debtors

579,744

625,409

Prepayments

-

20,213

Other debtors

1,125

1,302,034

 

580,869

1,947,656

Included in Other debtors are amounts owing by related parties of £nil (2024 £1,300,909).

7

Creditors

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Note

2025
£

2024
£

Due within one year

 

Loans and borrowings

9

902,124

475,915

Trade creditors

 

297,510

145,034

Taxation and social security

 

398,845

342,271

Accruals and deferred income

 

4,702

4,702

Other creditors

 

1,716,674

482,090

 

3,319,855

1,450,012

Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year

Note

2025
£

2024
£

Due after one year

 

Loans and borrowings

9

3,284,015

2,608,127

Other non-current financial liabilities

 

3,803,115

-

 

7,087,130

2,608,127

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

8

Share capital

Allotted, called up and fully paid shares

2025

2024

No.

£

No.

£

Ordinary "A" of £1 each

50

50

50

50

Ordinary "B" of £1 each

50

50

50

50

100

100

100

100

9

Loans and borrowings

Non-current loans and borrowings

2025
£

2024
£

Bank borrowings

3,216,298

2,448,292

Finance lease liabilities

67,717

159,835

3,284,015

2,608,127

Current loans and borrowings

2025
£

2024
£

Bank borrowings

721,006

105,862

Finance lease liabilities

181,118

370,053

902,124

475,915

The company's bank overdraft and loans are secured by a fixed and floating legal charge over the company assets.

 

Bernard Cox Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

10

Related party transactions

Transactions with directors and their related parties:-

a. The directors of the company, B J Cox and his wife, Mrs E M M Cox, are 100% partners (50% each) in a partnership.

The company sold services (on normal commercial terms) to this partnership during the year ended 31 March 2025 for £1,429,402 (2024 - £1,416,429).

b. The son of B J and Mrs E M M Cox (directors) operates as a sole trader.

The company sold services (on normal commercial terms) to this sole trade during the year ended 31 March 2025 for £164,044 (2024 - £112,720).

c. Included in other creditors is £1,661,815 (2024 - £115,423) owing to the related party in b. above. Also included in other creditors/other non-current financial liabilities at 31 March 2025 is £3,847,790 (2024 - £366,669) owing to the company's directors B J & Mrs E M M Cox.