Black VFX Limited wound up by High Court in compulsory liquidation order
The High Court of Justice made a winding-up order against Black VFX Limited on 13 May 2026, following a petition filed in March. Full notice and Companies House record.
Information for general guidance, drawn from the public record. Not legal, financial, or insolvency advice. If you are affected by an insolvency, consult a licensed practitioner or qualified solicitor.
The High Court of Justice placed Black VFX Limited, a visual effects and post-production company based at Black Hangar Studios on Lasham Airfield in Hampshire, into compulsory liquidation on 13 May 2026 under case number 002242 of 2026.
Compulsory liquidation is a court-imposed winding-up, unlike a voluntary process resolved by a company's own members. From the date of the order, the company's assets pass to a liquidator -- the licensed insolvency practitioner, or the Official Receiver, who realises those assets and distributes the proceeds to creditors. The Official Receiver, a civil servant of the Insolvency Service, automatically takes office as liquidator when a winding-up order is made.
The petition
The petition that triggered the order was filed on 24 March 2026, leaving roughly seven weeks between filing and the court's decision. A winding-up petition is a court filing asking a judge to make a winding-up order; it does not place the company into liquidation on its own. The order itself, sealed on 13 May 2026, is what brought Black VFX Limited's trading to a formal end.
The company
Black VFX Limited was incorporated on 28 March 2014 and registered under SIC code 59120, which covers post-production activities in the film and television sector. Its registered address is Black Hangar Studios, Lasham Airfield, Alton, GU34 5SR, a working airfield in Hampshire that has been used as a film and television production base. The company filed its last accounts to 31 December 2024 on a total-exemption-full basis, which applies to smaller companies below certain turnover and balance-sheet thresholds.
The officers
Three directors appear in the Companies House record. Paul Douglas King was appointed on 8 July 2025 and is resident in the United States. Jake Seal, also resident in the United States, was a director from the company's incorporation on 28 March 2014 until he resigned on 16 January 2026. Mirza Qaisar Mumtaz, resident in the United Kingdom, served as a director from 21 December 2021 until his resignation on 1 November 2022.
Secured lender
One outstanding charge is registered against Black VFX Limited. SMC Specialty Finance, LLC holds a registered charge created on 6 April 2020 and delivered to Companies House on 27 April 2020. That charge remains outstanding, meaning SMC Specialty Finance ranks as a secured creditor whose claim over the company's assets takes priority over those of unsecured creditors -- trade suppliers, employees with unpaid wages, and others whose debts are not backed by a charge.
What happens next
The Official Receiver will now investigate the company's affairs and the conduct of its directors in the period leading up to the order. Creditors wishing to assert a claim against the estate will need to submit a proof of debt -- the formal claim form evidencing the amount owed -- to the liquidator once the process is under way. If creditors choose to nominate a licensed insolvency practitioner to replace the Official Receiver, the court can appoint one.
The Gazette notice was published on 23 May 2026.
Common questions
Are you owed money by Black Vfx Limited?
The court has placed the company in compulsory liquidation. The Official Receiver typically takes office as liquidator unless creditors nominate a licensed insolvency practitioner. Submit your claim using the Official Receiver's online proof-of-debt service or by post; details appear on the case page at gov.uk/insolvency-service. Read more about proof of debt.
Did you work at Black Vfx Limited?
On a winding-up order, employees are usually dismissed immediately. Wages owed up to a statutory cap, holiday pay, notice pay and redundancy may be claimable from the Redundancy Payments Service. The Official Receiver will provide RP1 case-reference numbers and the date of insolvency you need to start the claim. See gov.uk: your rights if your employer is insolvent.
Do you hold a deposit, gift card or undelivered order from Black Vfx Limited?
Customers rank as unsecured creditors in the liquidation. Where you paid by credit card and the amount was over £100, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 may let you claim from the card issuer for breach of contract or misrepresentation by the supplier; the rules apply per item, not per transaction, and the card must be a regulated credit card. Debit-card payments may be recoverable via chargeback.
Are you a director of a company connected to Black Vfx Limited?
Section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986 applies the moment the winding-up order is made. If you intend to be involved in another company using the same or a similar name within five years, you must rely on one of the three statutory exceptions. The Official Receiver also has a statutory duty to investigate director conduct and report under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
Sources
- The London Gazette notice (code Winding-Up Orders)
- Companies House record 08965182
- Court: High Court Of Justice, case 002242
- Editorial standards: how we source and review; five-pass pipeline.
