ULBSTER ARMS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC245423 · ltd · incorporated 2003-03-11
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 19.1y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Apr 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
🔔
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: Hotels and similar accommodation
Sector: Accommodation & food service
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 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

4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 19.1y

50/100
clean up first

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 19.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: high (81/100)

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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (3 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
71 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.

Key financials

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

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-04-302024-04-30
Average employees38003800

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
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-05-12
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  3. 2025-01-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2024-10-29
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  5. 2024-10-28
    ➕
    DRUMMOND, John appointed
    director
  6. 2024-01-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-02-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2022-04-22
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  9. 2022-04-22
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  10. 2022-04-22
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  11. 2022-04-13
    ➖
    BURGE, Oliver Aylesford resigned
    director
  12. 2021-12-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2021-02-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2020-10-12
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  15. 2020-10-12
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  16. 2020-01-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2019-01-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2018-10-08
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  19. 2018-10-08
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  20. 2017-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2017-03-09
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  22. 2012-06-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Weatherbys Bank Limited
  23. 2011-07-26
    ➕
    LAIRD, Simon William David appointed
    secretary
  24. 2011-07-26
    ➖
    1924 NOMINEES LTD resigned
    corporate-secretary
  25. 2011-03-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Weatherbys Bank Limited
  26. 2007-07-20
    ➕
    BURGE, Oliver Aylesford appointed
    director
  27. 2007-03-23
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  28. 2007-03-19
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  29. 2006-11-08
    ➖
    1924 DIRECTORS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-director
  30. 2006-08-30
    ➕
    LAIRD, Simon William David appointed
    director
  31. 2003-03-11
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ULBSTER ARMS LIMITED
  32. 2003-03-11
    ➕
    1924 NOMINEES LTD appointed
    corporate-secretary
  33. 2003-03-11
    ➕
    1924 DIRECTORS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-director

Owner dependency

76/100
High — earn-out structure required

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

FACTORS
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

59/100
Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years.
  • 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

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

🏛️
Angus Estates Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
ULBSTER ARMS LIMITED
This company · SC245423

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
Angus Estates Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Marchmont Farms Limitedceased 13/04/2022· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control

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 · Hospitality · DD postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
BVAN LTD→
SC785666 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
CANDY'S DELI COUNTER LIMITED→
SC245426 · est 2003 · no financials extracted
————23y——
CASTLE SPICE LTD→
SC882449 · est 2026 · no financials extracted
———————
CC (FIFE) LIMITED→
SC819195 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
CHADWICK LOOK LTD→
SC862677 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
CHARLIES TAKEAWAY DUNDEE LTD→
SC805800 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————2y——
CHEN'S NEIGHBOURS KITCHEN LIMITED→
SC542542 · est 2016 · no financials extracted
————9y——
CHIPS 'N THINGS (MONTROSE) LIMITED→
SC246477 · est 2003 · no financials extracted
————23y——
CHOPSTICKDUNDEE LIMITED→
SC865252 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
CHUNKY DUCK LTD→
SC874444 · est 2026 · no financials extracted
———————
CITY OF DISCOVERY EVENTS LIMITED→
SC881114 · est 2026 · no financials extracted
———————
COFFEE TABLE ROASTS LTD→
SC727145 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————4y——
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
Incorporated2003-03-11
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC55100 — Hotels and similar accommodation

Registered office

East Memus
By Forfar
Forfar
Angus
DD8 3TY
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-05-06
Last: 2025-04-22

Officers (3 active · 3 resigned)

LAIRD, Simon William David→
secretary · appointed 2011-07-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DRUMMOND, John→
director · ~61y · appointed 2024-10-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
LAIRD, Simon William David→
director · ~60y · appointed 2006-08-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
1924 NOMINEES LTD→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2003-03-11 · resigned 2011-07-26
Resigned
BURGE, Oliver Aylesford→
director · ~85y · appointed 2007-07-20 · resigned 2022-04-13
Resigned
1924 DIRECTORS LIMITED→
corporate-director · appointed 2003-03-11 · resigned 2006-11-08
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Weatherbys Bank
Weatherbys Bank Limited
Standard security1 property28/06/2012—
outstanding
Weatherbys Bank
Weatherbys Bank Limited
Bond & floating charge1 property08/03/2011—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Standard security1 property23/03/200712/10/2020
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Floating charge1 property19/03/200709/03/2017
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (71 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-09
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-05-12
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-28
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-02-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-04-22
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-04-22
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2022-04-22
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-04-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-05-06