W & J BARR & SONS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC013396 · ltd · incorporated 1924-11-24
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 61.7y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 99999
Sector: Extraterritorial bodies
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 62/100. Strong seller-intent signal (75/100, director aged 65). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. 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

4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 61.7y

50/100
clean up first

Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.

  • · Oldest live charge is 61.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · 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.

Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
12 officers (3 active, 12 linked, 7 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
16 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
121 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (38 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-11-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-02-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  4. 2022-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  5. 2022-08-01
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
    accounts · AA01
  6. 2021-09-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  7. 2020-09-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  8. 2019-09-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  9. 2019-01-04
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  10. 2019-01-04
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  11. 2019-01-01
    ➕
    MILLIGAN, Leanne appointed
    director
  12. 2018-12-31
    ➖
    MACDONALD, Ronald Sutherland resigned
    director
  13. 2018-09-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  14. 2017-12-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-06-19
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  16. 2016-12-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
    accounts · AA
  17. 2016-05-11
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  18. 2015-06-22
    ➖
    HAMILL, Stephen Andrew Samuel resigned
    director
  19. 2013-12-02
    ➕
    MILLIGAN, Leanne appointed
    secretary
  20. 2013-12-02
    ➖
    MACDONALD, Ronald Sutherland resigned
    secretary
  21. 2013-03-27
    ➖
    CASEY, Wilma Jane resigned
    secretary
  22. 2013-03-27
    ➕
    MACDONALD, Ronald Sutherland appointed
    secretary
  23. 2008-12-31
    ➖
    BARR, John Drummond resigned
    director
  24. 2008-02-01
    ➕
    CASEY, Wilma Jane appointed
    secretary
  25. 2008-02-01
    ➖
    EYLEY, John Edwin resigned
    secretary
  26. 2007-08-28
    ➖
    BARR, Andrew Duncan resigned
    director
  27. 2007-05-24
    ➕
    CHEEVERS, William Francis Philip appointed
    director
  28. 2007-05-24
    ➕
    HAMILL, Stephen Andrew Samuel appointed
    director
  29. 2003-05-23
    ➖
    BARR, William James resigned
    director
  30. 2003-05-23
    ➕
    MACDONALD, Ronald Sutherland appointed
    director
  31. 1995-03-31
    ➖
    BARR, John Drummond resigned
    secretary
  32. 1995-03-31
    ➕
    EYLEY, John Edwin appointed
    secretary
  33. 1993-03-30
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  34. 1981-11-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  35. 1981-10-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  36. 1979-04-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  37. 1964-09-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: 16 Smith Street Ayr Released
  38. 1924-11-24
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As W & J BARR & SONS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED

Owner dependency

83/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 19 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

79/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 19 years.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 102 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

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Group structure

Barr Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Barr Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
W & J BARR & SONS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED
This company · SC013396

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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Barr Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

🔒Co-director network graph

Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

8 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 →
🔒Advanced scoring suite

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

Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1924-11-24
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC99999 — SIC 99999

Registered office

Heathfield House Phoenix Crescent
Strathclyde Business Park
Bellshill
ML4 3NJ
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last made up to: 2025-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-20
Last: 2026-05-06

Officers (3 active · 9 resigned)

MILLIGAN, Leanne→
secretary · appointed 2013-12-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CHEEVERS, William Francis Philip→
director · ~65y · appointed 2007-05-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MILLIGAN, Leanne→
director · ~47y · appointed 2019-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BARR, John Drummond→
secretary · resigned 1995-03-31
Resigned
CASEY, Wilma Jane→
secretary · appointed 2008-02-01 · resigned 2013-03-27
Resigned
EYLEY, John Edwin→
secretary · appointed 1995-03-31 · resigned 2008-02-01
Resigned
MACDONALD, Ronald Sutherland→
secretary · appointed 2013-03-27 · resigned 2013-12-02
Resigned
BARR, Andrew Duncan→
director · ~80y · resigned 2007-08-28
Resigned
BARR, John Drummond→
director · ~83y · resigned 2008-12-31
Resigned
BARR, William James→
director · ~87y · resigned 2003-05-23
Resigned
HAMILL, Stephen Andrew Samuel→
director · ~69y · appointed 2007-05-24 · resigned 2015-06-22
Resigned
MACDONALD, Ronald Sutherland→
director · ~75y · appointed 2003-05-23 · resigned 2018-12-31
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Standard security1 property13/11/1981—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Standard security1 property20/10/1981—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Standard security1 property30/04/1979—
satisfied
16 Smith Street Ayr Released / The British Linen Bank
Cash credit bond and floating charge1 property21/09/196430/03/1993
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (121 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-12-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-11-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-02-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-12-19
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2022-08-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-09-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-05-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2020-09-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-05-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2019-09-30