CAIRNSTAR LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC223470 · ltd · incorporated 2001-09-21
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch
What this business does
Primary activity: Motion picture, video and television programme post-production activities
Sector: Information & communication
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 68-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 68). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 24.3y

30/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 24.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (79/100)

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
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (2 active, 9 linked, 4 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
4 connected companies via shared directors
57
Filing history
108 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Mar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Average employees500500

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

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (42 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-13
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-11-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-12-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2023-04-15
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  5. 2022-12-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-03-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-03-05
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  8. 2021-03-13
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2020-09-16
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  10. 2020-09-16
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  11. 2020-09-16
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  12. 2020-09-15
    ➕
    MACKENZIE, Gavin appointed
    secretary
  13. 2020-09-15
    ➖
    MACKENZIE, Lorna resigned
    secretary
  14. 2020-06-24
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  15. 2019-12-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2019-09-15
    ➖
    MACKENZIE, Gavin resigned
    director
  17. 2019-06-14
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  18. 2019-06-14
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  19. 2019-01-25
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  20. 2019-01-25
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  21. 2018-06-15
    ➖
    MACKENZIE, Gavin resigned
    secretary
  22. 2018-06-15
    ➕
    MACKENZIE, Lorna appointed
    secretary
  23. 2016-04-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  24. 2016-04-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  25. 2011-04-13
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  26. 2011-03-30
    ➖
    BOYD, Douglas Turner resigned
    director
  27. 2011-03-30
    ➖
    HARVEY, Reginald John resigned
    director
  28. 2009-05-08
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  29. 2002-10-04
    ➕
    HARVEY, Reginald John appointed
    director
  30. 2002-01-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  31. 2002-01-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Taylor Clark PLC
  32. 2001-12-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Taylor Clark PLC
  33. 2001-12-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  34. 2001-12-14
    ➕
    BOYD, Douglas Turner appointed
    director
  35. 2001-10-03
    ➕
    FARQUHARSON, Ronald appointed
    director
  36. 2001-10-03
    ➕
    MACKENZIE, Gavin appointed
    secretary
  37. 2001-10-03
    ➖
    BRIAN REID LTD. resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  38. 2001-10-03
    ➕
    MACKENZIE, Gavin appointed
    director
  39. 2001-10-03
    ➖
    STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD. resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  40. 2001-09-21
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As CAIRNSTAR LIMITED
  41. 2001-09-21
    ➕
    BRIAN REID LTD. appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  42. 2001-09-21
    ➕
    STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD. appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

100/100
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
  • +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 25 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

95/100
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 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 25 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • 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

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.

Group structure

Cs2010 Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Cs2010 Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
CAIRNSTAR LIMITED
This company · SC223470

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
Cs2010 Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016

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 →

Similar companies

Active · Technology · IV postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
CLYDE COPIERS LTD→
SC667991 · est 2020 · no financials extracted
————5y——
DATAMIND AUDIO LTD→
SC749777 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
DUTHAC LTD→
SC759778 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————3y——
DW TECHNICAL LTD→
SC664505 · est 2020 · no financials extracted
————5y——
EVERYTHING SMART HOME LTD→
SC711146 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————4y——
GENERALIST WORLD LIMITED→
SC748518 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
GOAT MEDIA LIMITED→
SC284529 · est 2005 · no financials extracted
————20y——
HEADSPACE HIGHLANDS CIC→
SC861282 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
HEBRIDES.NET LIMITED→
SC360063 · est 2009 · no financials extracted
————16y——
HEREBOST MEDIA LTD→
SC822274 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
HI-SAT BROADCAST LTD→
SC567016 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
————8y——
HIGHLAND BUSINESS GROUP LIMITED→
SC836199 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
————1y——
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
Incorporated2001-09-21
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC59120 — Motion picture, video and television programme post-production activities

Registered office

1 Hill Park
Inverness
IV2 4AL
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-27
Last: 2025-09-13

Officers (2 active · 7 resigned)

MACKENZIE, Gavin→
secretary · appointed 2020-09-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
FARQUHARSON, Ronald→
director · ~68y · appointed 2001-10-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MACKENZIE, Gavin→
secretary · appointed 2001-10-03 · resigned 2018-06-15
Resigned
MACKENZIE, Lorna→
secretary · appointed 2018-06-15 · resigned 2020-09-15
Resigned
BRIAN REID LTD.→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2001-09-21 · resigned 2001-10-03
Resigned
BOYD, Douglas Turner→
director · ~87y · appointed 2001-12-14 · resigned 2011-03-30
Resigned
HARVEY, Reginald John→
director · ~76y · appointed 2002-10-04 · resigned 2011-03-30
Resigned
MACKENZIE, Gavin→
director · ~58y · appointed 2001-10-03 · resigned 2019-09-15
Resigned
STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD.→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2001-09-21 · resigned 2001-10-03
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property09/01/200229/04/2016
satisfied
Taylor Clark
Taylor Clark PLC
Standard security4 properties08/01/200229/04/2016
satisfied
Taylor Clark
Taylor Clark PLC
Floating charge1 property17/12/200108/05/2009
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Bond & floating charge1 property17/12/200113/04/2011

Recent filings (108 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-11-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-16
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2023-04-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-05
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2022-03-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-09-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-03-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-09-16
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2020-09-16