HOME HARDWARE (SCOTLAND) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC121685 · ltd · incorporated 1989-11-30
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 35.3y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2024
Net worth
£1.93M
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46740
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with exceptional profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 2 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

6 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 35.3y

50/100
clean up first

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 35.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Legal-friction score 30/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: high (80/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
19 officers (3 active, 19 linked, 17 with DOB)
88
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
140 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102
Positive net assets
Net assets £1,928,550
Net assets shrinking
Down £25,640 YoY
Cash YoY
+69%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£679k
↑ 69% YoY
Net Worth
£1.9m
↓ 1.3% YoY
Current Assets
£5.7m
↓ 4.5% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£1.2m£2.4m£3.6m£4.8m£6.0mDec 2023Dec 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2024-12-312023-12-31
Total assets£5.11M£5.58M
Current assets£5.70M£5.97M
Cash£679.3k£402.9k
Debtors£1.32M£1.56M
Net assets£1.93M£1.95M

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 signals detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 persons-with-significant-control
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (63 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-05
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  2. 2025-09-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-medium
    accounts · AA
  3. 2025-03-26
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  4. 2025-03-03
    ➖
    FERGUSON, Brian Lawrie Hunter resigned
    director
  5. 2024-09-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2023-09-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-11-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-11-05
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  9. 2021-11-05
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  10. 2021-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  11. 2020-10-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  12. 2019-05-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  13. 2018-09-14
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  14. 2018-09-14
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  15. 2018-09-14
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  16. 2018-09-14
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  17. 2018-08-28
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  18. 2018-07-19
    ➖
    FERGUSON, James Hunter resigned
    director
  19. 2018-06-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  20. 2018-06-01
    ➕
    O'WARE, Derek John appointed
    director
  21. 2018-05-29
    ➕
    LEARY, Fiona Mary Elizabeth appointed
    director
  22. 2016-09-12
    ➖
    HAYES, Michael Richard resigned
    secretary
  23. 2015-06-16
    ➖
    CROCKET, Douglas Ross resigned
    director
  24. 2011-04-21
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  25. 2011-04-21
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  26. 2011-03-25
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
  27. 2011-03-25
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  28. 2011-03-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
  29. 2011-03-02
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  30. 2010-01-29
    ➖
    IRVINE, Stephanie Jane resigned
    director
  31. 2010-01-29
    ➖
    MCDOUGALL, John resigned
    director
  32. 2009-12-17
    ➕
    FERGUSON, Brian Lawrie Hunter appointed
    director
  33. 2003-01-23
    ➖
    GARVIE, John Lawrence resigned
    director
  34. 2003-01-23
    ➕
    IRVINE, Stephanie Jane appointed
    director
  35. 2002-03-25
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  36. 2002-03-25
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  37. 2002-01-24
    ➕
    HAYES, Michael Richard appointed
    secretary
  38. 2002-01-24
    ➖
    MCMEEKING, John resigned
    secretary
  39. 2002-01-24
    ➖
    MCMEEKING, John resigned
    director
  40. 1999-09-29
    ➕
    MCEWAN, Christopher James appointed
    director
  41. 1999-09-29
    ➖
    BATCHELOR, Charles Stirling Hill resigned
    director
  42. 1999-08-27
    ➖
    GIBB- STUART, Hugh Alexander resigned
    director
  43. 1999-02-02
    ➖
    WATERS, Ian David resigned
    director
  44. 1998-04-30
    ➖
    LAUDER, David Craig resigned
    director
  45. 1996-01-01
    ➕
    CROCKET, Douglas Ross appointed
    director
  46. 1995-10-10
    ➕
    GIBB- STUART, Hugh Alexander appointed
    director
  47. 1995-10-10
    ➖
    STUART, Hugh Alexander Gibb resigned
    director
  48. 1994-05-01
    ➖
    FULLERTON, Alan Montgomerie resigned
    director
  49. 1993-03-01
    ➖
    COGHILL, Frank William resigned
    director
  50. 1993-03-01
    ➕
    WATERS, Ian David appointed
    director
Showing most recent 50 of 63 events

Owner dependency

68/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.

FACTORS
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

80/100
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 63. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 36 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

1 med ·
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mrs Celia Ferguson
Individual · British · DOB 12/1947 · age 79
50–75%
50–75%50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · firm interest14/09/2018
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr James Hunter Fergusonceased 19/07/2018· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · significant influence · firm interest

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

6 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
Incorporated1989-11-30
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC46740 — SIC 46740

Registered office

26a Dalry Road
Ardrossan
Ayrshire
KA22 7GQ

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-14
Last: 2025-11-30

Officers (3 active · 16 resigned)

LEARY, Fiona Mary Elizabeth→
director · ~54y · appointed 2018-05-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MCEWAN, Christopher James→
director · ~63y · appointed 1999-09-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
O'WARE, Derek John→
director · ~55y · appointed 2018-06-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HAYES, Michael Richard→
secretary · appointed 2002-01-24 · resigned 2016-09-12
Resigned
MCMEEKING, John→
secretary · appointed 1989-12-18 · resigned 2002-01-24
Resigned
BATCHELOR, Charles Stirling Hill→
director · ~82y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 1999-09-29
Resigned
COGHILL, Frank William→
director · ~71y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 1993-03-01
Resigned
CROCKET, Douglas Ross→
director · ~76y · appointed 1996-01-01 · resigned 2015-06-16
Resigned
FERGUSON, Brian Lawrie Hunter→
director · ~47y · appointed 2009-12-17 · resigned 2025-03-03
Resigned
FERGUSON, James Hunter→
director · ~79y · appointed 1989-12-18 · resigned 2018-07-19
Resigned
FULLERTON, Alan Montgomerie→
director · ~86y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 1994-05-01
Resigned
GARVIE, John Lawrence→
director · ~87y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 2003-01-23
Resigned
GIBB- STUART, Hugh Alexander→
director · ~63y · appointed 1995-10-10 · resigned 1999-08-27
Resigned
IRVINE, Stephanie Jane→
director · ~54y · appointed 2003-01-23 · resigned 2010-01-29
Resigned
LAUDER, David Craig→
director · ~69y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 1998-04-30
Resigned
MCDOUGALL, John→
director · ~64y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 2010-01-29
Resigned
MCMEEKING, John→
director · ~80y · appointed 1989-12-18 · resigned 2002-01-24
Resigned
STUART, Hugh Alexander Gibb→
director · ~100y · appointed 1990-12-05 · resigned 1995-10-10
Resigned
WATERS, Ian David→
director · ~80y · appointed 1993-03-01 · resigned 1999-02-02
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

6
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property25/03/2011—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Bank of Scotland PLC
Floating charge1 property09/03/2011—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property25/03/200221/04/2011
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property25/03/200221/04/2011
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property22/01/199102/03/2011
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Bond & floating charge1 property31/12/199025/03/2011
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (140 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-12-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-medium
accounts · AA
2025-09-26
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-03-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2022-11-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-30
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2021-11-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2021-11-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2021-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-12-08