River Cottage Stores Limited

Contents

Statement of Financial Position

1

River Cottage Stores Limited

(Registration number: 06206210)
Statement of Financial Position as at 29 September 2025

	Note	2025 £	2024 £
Current assets
Debtors	5	5,664	5,664
Cash at bank and in hand		2,472	965
		8,136	6,629
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year	6	(4,059,333)	(4,051,081)
Total assets less current liabilities		(4,051,197)	(4,044,452)
Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year	6	-	(5,167)
Net liabilities		(4,051,197)	(4,049,619)
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital	7	1,477	1,477
Share premium reserve		1,779,810	1,779,810
Profit and loss account		(5,832,484)	(5,830,906)
Shareholders' deficit		(4,051,197)	(4,049,619)

For the financial year ending 29 September 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 and 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 Statement of Comprehensive Income.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 29 July 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
 

Mr S Dodd Director

River Cottage Stores Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 29 September 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:
Park Farm
Trinity Hill Road
Axminster
Devon
EX13 8TB

Principal activity

The principal activity of the company is that of restaurateurs.

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.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the entity.

River Cottage Stores Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 29 September 2025 (continued)

2	Accounting policies (continued)

Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis.

The principal factors considered by the directors in preparing the accounts on a going concern basis
were as follows:

Following the closure of the River Cottage Canteen in Axminster town centre in early 2022, RCSL has since reduced its trading responsibility and as of September 2022 has no further revenue source with all operations now centred in RCL at the company HQ at Park Farm. It is continuing as a going concern with the support of the group.

Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Accounting estimates and assumptions are made concerning the future and, by their nature, will rarely equal the related actual outcome.

Tangible assets

Tangible assets are stated in the statement of financial position 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
Leasehold property	10 years
Furniture, fixtures and fittings	20-25% straight line
Plant and machinery	10-33% straight line
Office equipment	25% straight line

Impairment

A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash at bank and in hand, demand deposits with banks, 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. In the statement of financial position, bank overdrafts are shown within borrowing or current liabilities

River Cottage Stores Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 29 September 2025 (continued)

2	Accounting policies (continued)

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 statement of comprehensive income 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.

Financial instruments

Recognition and measurement
A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the transaction price, unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where it is recognised at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.

3	Staff numbers

The average number of persons employed by the company (including directors) during the year, was 0 (2024 - 0).

4	Tangible assets

	Leasehold land and buildings £	Furniture, fixtures and fittings £	Total £
Cost or valuation
At 30 September 2024	479,984	315,512	795,496
At 29 September 2025	479,984	315,512	795,496
Depreciation
At 30 September 2024	479,984	315,512	795,496
At 29 September 2025	479,984	315,512	795,496
Carrying amount
At 29 September 2025	-	-	-

River Cottage Stores Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 29 September 2025 (continued)

5

Debtors

	2025 £	2024 £
Amounts owed from group undertakings	5,000	5,000
Other debtors	664	664
	5,664	5,664

River Cottage Stores Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 29 September 2025 (continued)

6

Creditors

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

	2025 £	2024 £
Due within one year
Loans and borrowings	6,667	11,500
Amounts owed to group undertakings	4,050,776	4,036,415
Taxation and social security	-	416
Accrued expenses	1,890	2,750
	4,059,333	4,051,081

Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year

	2025 £	2024 £
Due after one year
Loans and borrowings	-	5,167

7	Share capital

Allotted, called up and fully paid shares

	2025		2024
	No.	£	No.	£
Ordinary shares of £0.01 each	122,650	1,227	122,650	1,227
Ordinary A shares of £0.01 each	25,000	250	25,000	250
	147,650	1,477	147,650	1,477

8

Reserves

Profit and loss account:

This reserve records retained earnings and accumulated losses.

9	Parent and ultimate parent undertaking

The company's immediate parent is River Cottage Holdings Limited, incorporated in England and Wales.

 

River Cottage Stores Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 29 September 2025 (continued)

10	Non adjusting events after the financial period

Subsequent to the year end, the company completed a significant debt restructuring as part of its financing arrangements. This represents a major post-balance sheet event and has resulted in changes to the company's debt profile and funding structure. The financial impact of the restructuring will be reflected in the financial statements for the subsequent reporting period, where applicable.