HOBIN OF PRESTON LIMITED
Opportunity 56/100 (worth a look), bankability 62/100. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 23.7y
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 23.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (61/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Recent activity
- • 1 gazette
- • 2 gazette
- • 2 capital
- • 1 dissolution
Corporate timeline (43 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-24📄gazette-dissolved-voluntarygazette · GAZ2(A)
- 2026-02-24🏁Company dissolved
- 2025-12-09📄gazette-notice-voluntarygazette · GAZ1(A)
- 2025-12-01📄dissolution-application-strike-off-companydissolution · DS01
- 2025-11-06📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2025-11-06⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2025-11-06📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2025-11-06📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-07-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-21📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2021-12-02📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2021-12-02📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2021-12-02📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-12-02📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-12-02📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-12-02📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2021-12-01➕CLARK, John Arnold appointeddirector
- 2021-12-01➕GRAHAM, James Turner appointeddirector
- 2021-12-01➖MCLEAN, Kenneth John resigneddirector
- 2021-12-01➖WILLIES, Scott resigneddirector
- 2021-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-06-07➖HARVEY, Mark William Harold resigneddirector
- 2020-08-24➕HARVEY, Mark William Harold appointeddirector
- 2015-04-02➕THORPE, Stuart Kenneth appointedsecretary
- 2015-04-02➕HAWTHORNE, Edward appointeddirector
- 2015-04-02➖HOBIN, David resigneddirector
- 2015-04-02➕MCLEAN, Kenneth John appointeddirector
- 2015-04-02➕WILLIES, Scott appointeddirector
- 2012-08-06➖GORDON, Christine Elizabeth resignedsecretary
- 2009-06-22🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Volkswagen Bank Gmbh T/a Volkswagen Bank United Kingdom Branch
- 2003-08-12➕GORDON, Christine Elizabeth appointedsecretary
- 2003-08-12➖HP SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-10-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited
- 2002-08-21🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2001-06-26➕HOBIN, David appointeddirector
- 2001-06-26➖HP DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2001-05-23🏢Company incorporatedAs HOBIN OF PRESTON LIMITED
- 2001-05-23➕HP SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2001-05-23➕HP DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
Some founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 60 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 60. Early succession window.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 25 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
2 high ·Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2026-02-24
Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2025-11-06: legacy
Group structure
Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/12/2021 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Lady Philomena Butler Clarkceased 01/12/2021· significant influence
- Sir John Arnold Clarkceased 10/04/2017· significant influence
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
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9 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (0 active · 7 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Volkswagen Bank Gmbh T/a Volkswagen Bank United Kingdom Branch | General charge | 2 properties | 22/06/2009 | — | |
| outstanding | Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited | General charge | 1 property | 08/10/2002 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 21/08/2002 | — |