MERLIN GROUP LIMITED
- 70229Management consultancy activities other than financial management
Opportunity 71/100 (strong), bankability 65/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 77). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Confirmation statement overdue. Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (53/100).
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 38.1y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 38.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (60/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Recent activity
- • 1 officers
- • 1 officers
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 officers
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (26 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-26📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-03-12➖MACLEOD, Allan Davidson resigneddirector
- 2026-02-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-07-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-08-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-09-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-07-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-03-17📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-07-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2015-02-02📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-02-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2011-01-14➕MACLEOD, Allan Davidson appointeddirector
- 2011-01-14➖MACLEOD, Calum Alexander, Dr resigneddirector
- 2001-03-26🔒Charge registered #5Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 1988-09-23🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 1988-09-23🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1988-03-17🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lyle Offshore Group PLC
- 1988-03-17🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 1988-03-17🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 1986-03-20🏢Company incorporatedAs MERLIN GROUP LIMITED
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 77 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 77 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 40 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 high ·Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2026-01-14
Group structure
Dunnichen Investments Ltd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dunnichen Investments Ltd Corporate entity | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
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 (2 active · 2 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 26/03/2001 | — | |
| outstanding | Lyle Offshore Group Lyle Offshore Group PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 17/03/1988 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Letter of pledge | 1 property | 17/03/1988 | 23/09/1988 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Assignation | 1 property | 17/03/1988 | 23/09/1988 |