Manolete Partners PLC Faces Winding-Up Petition
A court petition has been registered in the High Court of Justice against insolvency litigation funding firm MANOLETE PARTNERS PLC under case reference CR-2026-008131. Records from the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions confirm that the filing was entered on 20 October 2026. Presentation of a petition is a formal court application and does not constitute a determination of insolvency. The outcome remains entirely a matter for judicial determination.
Petition details
The entry on the court system reflects the following recorded details:
| Detail | Court Record |
| --- | --- |
| Company Name | MANOLETE PARTNERS PLC |
| Company Number | 07660874 |
| Case Number | CR-2026-008131 |
| Filing Date | 20 October 2026 |
| Case Type | Companies - Part 8 Claim - Part 7 Transfer |
| Court Source | Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions (CE-File) |
| Petitioning Creditor | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Petition Debt | [Check the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
Company snapshot
Incorporated on 7 June 2011, MANOLETE PARTNERS PLC is an active public limited company registered under SIC code 82990 (Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified). Its registered office is at 2-4 Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, SL9 7QE.
Statutory accounts filed at Companies House for the financial period ended 31 March 2025 report turnover of £30,500,000 and net assets of £41,441,000. The company recorded an average headcount of 29 employees. In its strategic report, the company stated its principal activity as the acquisition and funding of insolvency litigation cases. The independent auditor's report was unqualified, and the accounts contain no going-concern warning flag.
Directors and ownership
Public filings at Companies House record four active individual directors and one active corporate secretary:
- Philomena Mary Halton, director, appointed 24 June 2022 (having earlier held office as director between 14 March 2016 and 21 February 2018). Month and year of birth: September 1959. Nationality: British.
- Howard Darryl Leigh, Lord Leigh Of Hurley, director, appointed 23 June 2021. Month and year of birth: April 1959. Nationality: British.
- Anne Elizabeth McIntosh, director, appointed 5 January 2022. Month and year of birth: April 1964. Nationality: British.
- William Sawyer, director, appointed 15 December 2025. Month and year of birth: February 1978. Nationality: British.
- Indigo Corporate Secretary Limited, corporate secretary, appointed 21 September 2021.
Former directors who have resigned from the board include Stephen Baister, Peter Michael Bertram, Ross David Clark, Steven Cooklin, Michael Jonathan Faulkner, Marcia Anna-Maria Higgs, John Michael Jarvis, Patrick James Lineen, Lee Antony Manning, and Mark Wrenford Tavener. Steven Cooklin and Bernadette Clare Young are also recorded as resigned company secretaries.
On the register of Persons with Significant Control, Mr Jonathan Paul Moulton is recorded as an active individual PSC notified on 6 April 2016, holding between 25% and 50% of the company's shares and voting rights. Historical PSC notifications for Jim Nominees Limited, Moulton Goodies Limited, and Mr Steven Cooklin are recorded as ceased. These entries represent public statutory records only; none of the named individuals or corporate entities are personally subject to insolvency proceedings.
Recent filings and Gazette activity
A search of The Gazette shows no statutory advertisement of a petition or winding-up order against the company. Under the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016, advertisement of a winding-up petition must not occur earlier than seven business days after service, and at least seven business days before the scheduled hearing, unless the court orders otherwise or restrains advertisement.
What this means for suppliers, creditors and counterparties
The presentation of a court petition marks the earliest public signal of legal proceedings against an entity. For commercial counterparties, it introduces immediate risks under the Insolvency Act 1986.
Under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986, if a winding-up order is ultimately granted, any disposition of the company's assets or transfer of shares made after the date of presentation is void unless validated by an order of the court. Consequently, payments received by suppliers or counterparties during this window could face clawback claims by an official receiver or liquidator.
Counterparty exposure assessment
Credit controllers and legal advisers evaluate counterparty exposure across three operational tiers:
- High risk (Unsecured operational balances): Routine trade creditors delivering ongoing services on open credit terms without advance deposits, or parties awaiting non-statutory disbursements.
- Medium risk (Bilateral commitments): Co-funders, expert witnesses, or legal panels operating under continuing retainer contracts with deferred settlement terms.
- Low risk (Secured lenders): Fixed and floating charge holders whose security interests are registered at Companies House, which can be verified through a company charge check.
Practical scenario
Consider an independent forensic accountancy firm retained on a commercial dispute, currently carrying £35,000 in unbilled work-in-progress on standard 30-day settlement terms. If the client company becomes subject to an advertised petition, the client's corporate bank accounts are typically frozen to avoid section 127 liability. Continuing to commit fee-earner time without establishing whether the petition is disputed or validated leaves the supplier holding an unsecured claim that ranks alongside general creditors in any eventual liquidation.
Action checklist for commercial counterparties
1. Check daily court activity: Review today's winding-up petitions list to track hearing listings, transfers, or related cause-list entries.
2. Review open ledger exposures: Quantify all goods delivered or services rendered since 20 October 2026.
3. Assess payment modalities: For ongoing operational requirements, evaluate the necessity of cash-in-advance terms or third-party escrow arrangements.
4. Monitor the register: Implement free company monitoring to receive automated email alerts on any Gazette publications, officer filings, or status changes.
For credit teams and suppliers
Credit risk teams and commercial solicitors regularly review public court entries before extending new credit lines, delivering high-value services, or concluding debt restructuring. Failing to identify a petition early can lead to trapped cash flow and clawback claims under section 127. Conducting a routine winding up search prior to renewing contract terms provides verifiable defence against inadvertent void transactions.
How to run a winding up petition search
Historically, corporate credit managers and legal researchers gathered court intelligence manually. The standard procedure involved telephoning the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions, checking the court CE-File portal for cause lists, searching The Gazette for statutory notices, and cross-referencing Companies House for mortgage registrations. This fragmented workflow often delayed notification until after bank accounts were frozen.
Corporate intelligence tools consolidate these registries into continuous records. Running a comprehensive winding up petition search alerts risk teams to newly lodged court actions before formal advertisement, providing critical lead time to protect balances.
FAQ
What does a Central Registry petition filing mean?
A petition filing indicates that an originating claim or petition has been lodged against the company in the Companies Court. It reflects an active legal application, not an order of winding up or a legal finding of insolvency.
Is Manolete Partners PLC in liquidation?
No. The company remains active on the Companies House register. A winding-up order can only be made by the court after hearing the petition or application.
Why is the petitioner not disclosed in the filing record?
Initial electronic cause-list entries from the Central Registry public feed list the matter title, case number, and classification code, but do not publish claimant names, petition sums, or hearing dates until subsequent listing or statutory advertisement.
How does a winding up search help mitigate commercial risk?
A winding up search identifies presented petitions prior to gazetting, giving commercial partners critical lead time to manage exposure before statutory bank freezes or section 127 void dispositions take effect.
Disclaimer
This report summarises a petition recorded at the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions. Presentation of a petition is not a determination of insolvency; the outcome is a matter for the court. Companies believing they are named incorrectly should email contact@corp-intel.co.uk.