VISION EXPRESS (UK) LIMITED
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Next accounts due
2026-09-30 (in 4mo)
Last filed for 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement due
2027-02-21 (in 9mo)
Last made up 2026-02-07
Watchouts
None on the register
Cash
£634K
-40.2% vs 2023
Net assets
£69M
+71.1% vs 2023
Employees
3,623
-0.4% vs 2023
Profit before tax
£39M
+391% vs 2023
Name history
Renamed 1 time since incorporation
- VISION EXPRESS (UK) LIMITED 1988-07-14 → present
- COOLPACT LIMITED 1987-11-06 → 1988-07-14
Net assets
2-year trend · vs Industrials median
Accounts
2-year trend · latest reflected 2024-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £384,567,000 | £429,710,000 | |
| Operating profit | £7,586,000 | £35,724,000 | |
| Profit before tax | £7,920,000 | £38,887,000 | |
| Net profit | £5,521,000 | £28,518,000 | |
| Cash | £1,061,000 | £634,000 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £43,631,000 | £73,926,000 | |
| Net assets | £40,101,000 | £68,619,000 | |
| Equity | £40,101,000 | £68,619,000 | |
| Average employees | 3,638 | 3,623 | |
| Wages | £126,375,000 | £133,403,000 |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 2.0% | 8.3% | |
| Net margin | 1.4% | 6.6% | |
| Return on capital employed | 17.4% | 48.3% | |
| Current ratio | 0.64x | 0.87x | |
| Interest cover | 47.41x | 138.47x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“The directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The assumptions to realise a severe but plausible downside scenario were a 10% sales decline versus forecast, with no concomitant cost savings other than a reduction in marketing spend. Despite having net current liabilities at the year end, the financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis on the grounds that the directors of EssilorLuxottica have confirmed their continued support for at least 12 months following the date of approval of the financial statements.”
Group structure
- VISION EXPRESS (UK) LIMITED · parent
- Abbeyfield V.E. Limited 100%
- GrandVision Tech Centre UK Limited 100%
- Vision Express (CLS) Limited 100%
- Andover V.E. Limited 100%
- Ashbourne V.E. Limited 100%
- Ashby de la Zouch V.E. Limited 100%
- Ashford Town V.E. Limited 100%
- Aylesbury V.E. Limited 100%
- Ayr V.E. Limited 100%
- Banbury V.E. Limited 100%
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
4 active · 53 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COTON, Nicholas David | Secretary | 2019-04-29 | — | — |
| HYDE, Philip Martin | Director | 2017-10-01 | Apr 1966 | British |
| MCGHEE, Daniel | Director | 2019-12-01 | Mar 1986 | British |
| VISION EXPRESS GROUP LIMITED | Corporate Director | 2025-03-01 | — | — |
Show 53 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALLEN, Nicholas Dermott Vance | Secretary | 2018-04-09 | 2019-04-24 |
| HESKETH, Carolyn Lesley | Secretary | 2010-10-14 | 2013-03-08 |
| HOPE, Simon Richard | Secretary | 2013-03-08 | 2018-04-09 |
| HOPWOOD, Joseph William | Secretary | 1995-01-03 | 1996-12-27 |
| REED, Rosaleen | Secretary | 1996-12-27 | 2010-10-01 |
| TILLMAN, Gary Lee | Secretary | — | 1995-01-03 |
| ADKINS, Adrian | Director | 1996-02-01 | 2000-06-07 |
| ALLAN, Ranald George | Director | 2017-10-01 | 2025-02-28 |
| ALLEN, Nicholas Dermott Vance | Director | 2018-04-09 | 2019-04-24 |
| BRUSTIO, Marco Umberto | Director | 1994-02-28 | 1996-02-01 |
| BUTLER, Edward Dean | Director | — | 1996-02-01 |
| CEZAR, Marcel Nicolas Gustave | Director | 2003-09-30 | 2006-04-18 |
| CEZAR, Marcel Nicolas Gustave | Director | 2001-09-10 | 2003-07-01 |
| COTON, Nicholas David | Director | 2019-04-29 | 2025-02-28 |
| DOUGLAS, Brian Archibald Speedie | Director | 2000-04-19 | 2001-03-08 |
| ERNEST, Pamela Barbara | Director | 1994-03-28 | 1995-05-12 |
| FAHS, Leonard Reade | Director | 1998-08-27 | 1999-02-01 |
| HAMLEY, Nicholas | Director | 1994-11-15 | 1995-12-21 |
| HARRIS, Albert Edward | Director | 1994-02-28 | 1996-02-01 |
| HASSAN, Omar | Director | 2012-07-09 | 2017-09-30 |
| HOLT, Andrew | Director | 1999-07-27 | 2001-03-08 |
| HOPE, Simon Richard | Director | 2017-10-01 | 2018-04-09 |
| HOPWOOD, Joseph William | Director | — | 1996-12-27 |
| HYDE, Philip Martin | Director | 2006-02-03 | 2012-07-09 |
| INNES, Simon Campbell | Director | 2000-04-03 | 2003-09-30 |
| KHAN, Graham | Director | 1993-10-28 | 1995-04-21 |
| KÖKSAL, Onur | Director | 2018-11-01 | 2024-12-31 |
| LAWSON, Jonathan Mark | Director | 2017-10-01 | 2018-11-01 |
| LAWSON, Jonathan Mark | Director | 2017-10-01 | 2025-02-28 |
| LAWSON, Jonathan Robert | Director | 2011-05-26 | 2018-11-01 |
| LEWIS, Jeremy George | Director | 2000-04-19 | 2001-03-08 |
| MAGRATH, Bryan Robert | Director | 2008-03-01 | 2010-05-19 |
| MILLER, Jacqueline | Director | 2008-11-17 | 2011-11-22 |
| MOYLES, Tim James | Director | 2010-05-19 | 2011-05-26 |
| NOBLE, Stephen Mark | Director | 2011-11-22 | 2017-09-30 |
| NUESSER, Bernhard | Director | 2003-07-01 | 2008-03-01 |
| O'LEARY, Stephen | Director | 2000-03-20 | 2006-02-03 |
| POUTON, Derek | Director | — | 1994-04-25 |
| SHEARWOOD, Michael | Director | 1998-08-27 | 2000-03-18 |
| SMITH, John Anthony | Director | 1996-12-27 | 1999-12-31 |
| SPEEDIE, James | Director | 1997-06-03 | 2001-03-08 |
| SPIETTE, Philippe Roger | Director | 2000-12-13 | 2001-09-10 |
| TABACCHI, Ermenegildo Dino | Director | 1994-02-28 | 1996-02-01 |
| TAYLOR, Desmond Francis | Director | 1999-07-27 | 2000-09-30 |
| TAYLOR, Desmond Francis | Director | 1996-02-01 | 1999-02-01 |
| TILLMAN, Gary Lee | Director | 1995-01-03 | 1997-10-30 |
| TOMISON, Glenn Andrew | Director | 1996-02-01 | 2007-01-11 |
| TOMMY MARTIN, Francois Jean Marie | Director | 2000-12-13 | 2001-03-08 |
| TRAPANI, Antonio | Director | 1999-12-31 | 2000-12-13 |
| VANNIER, Elie | Director | 2006-04-18 | 2007-01-11 |
| WATSON, Peter Leighton Bruce | Director | 1996-02-01 | 2000-04-03 |
| WINDSOR, James Keith | Director | 1996-02-01 | 2008-11-17 |
| WORBOYS, Steven | Director | 2025-01-01 | 2025-02-28 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vision Express Group Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 304 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2024-12-05 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-13 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-10-13 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-06-06 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2025-03-03 | AP02 | officers | Appoint corporate director company with name date | |
| 2025-03-03 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-03-03 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-03-03 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-03-03 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-02-14 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2025-01-06 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2025-01-05 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-01-02 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-12-05 | SH20 | capital | Legacy | |
| 2024-12-05 | SH19 | capital | Capital statement capital company with date currency figure | |
| 2024-12-05 | CAP-SS | insolvency | Legacy | |
| 2024-12-05 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2024-12-05 | SH08 | capital | Capital name of class of shares | |
| 2024-08-28 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-05-23 | RP04CS01 | confirmation-statement | Second filing of confirmation statement with made up date | |
| 2024-05-22 | RP04SH01 | capital | Second filing capital allotment shares |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 3
- Capital events
- 4
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 0
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.
Year-on-year
FY2023 → FY2024 · period ending 2024-12-31 vs 2023-12-31
-
Turnover
+11.7%
£384,567,000 £429,710,000
-
Cash
-40.2%
£1,061,000 £634,000
-
Net assets
+71.1%
£40,101,000 £68,619,000
-
Employees
-0.4%
3,638 3,623
-
Operating profit
+370.9%
£7,586,000 £35,724,000
-
Profit before tax
+391%
£7,920,000 £38,887,000
-
Wages
+5.6%
£126,375,000 £133,403,000
Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers