COVER CREW LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC262013 · ltd · incorporated 2004-01-16
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
£160.7k
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
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: Temporary employment agency activities
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 77/100 (strong), 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: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -38% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 22.1y

30/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 22.1 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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (2 active, 11 linked, 5 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
109 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

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

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £160,731
Net assets shrinking
Down £10,870 YoY
Cash YoY
-38%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£47k
↓ 38% YoY
Net Worth
£161k
↓ 6.3% YoY
Current Assets
£232k
↓ 5.5% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£49k£98k£147k£197k£246kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets£205.5k£249.3k
Current assets£232.3k£245.8k
Cash£47.0k£75.5k
Debtors£185.4k£170.3k
Net assets£160.7k£171.6k

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

1 signal 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
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 officers
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (39 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-03-03
    ➖
    STEPHEN, Kenneth resigned
    director
  2. 2026-03-03
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  3. 2025-09-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2024-08-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2023-08-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-09-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-01-28
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  8. 2021-09-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2021-03-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2021-01-19
    📄
    change-corporate-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH04
  11. 2021-01-19
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  12. 2019-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2018-12-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2017-12-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-07-20
    📄
    memorandum-articles
    incorporation · MA
  16. 2017-07-20
    📄
    resolution
    resolution · RESOLUTIONS
  17. 2015-09-30
    ➖
    SHELTON, Freda resigned
    director
  18. 2015-02-26
    ➖
    BEATON, John William resigned
    director
  19. 2012-04-19
    ➕
    STEPHEN, Kenneth appointed
    director
  20. 2012-04-09
    ➕
    JAMES AND GEORGE COLLIE LLP appointed
    corporate-secretary
  21. 2012-04-09
    ➖
    LAWS, Frank resigned
    secretary
  22. 2006-09-14
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  23. 2006-05-11
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  24. 2005-11-03
    ➕
    LAWS, Frank appointed
    secretary
  25. 2005-11-03
    ➖
    SHELTON, Freda resigned
    secretary
  26. 2005-09-30
    ➖
    BOOTH, David resigned
    secretary
  27. 2005-09-30
    ➕
    SHELTON, Freda appointed
    secretary
  28. 2005-09-30
    ➕
    BEATON, John William appointed
    director
  29. 2005-09-30
    ➖
    BOOTH, David resigned
    director
  30. 2005-09-30
    ➕
    SHELTON, Freda appointed
    director
  31. 2004-04-01
    ➖
    @UKPLC CLIENT SECRETARY LTD resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  32. 2004-04-01
    ➖
    @UKPLC CLIENT DIRECTOR LTD resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  33. 2004-03-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  34. 2004-01-16
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As COVER CREW LIMITED
  35. 2004-01-16
    ➕
    SHELTON, Neil Maurice Richard appointed
    director
  36. 2004-01-16
    ➕
    BOOTH, David appointed
    secretary
  37. 2004-01-16
    ➕
    @UKPLC CLIENT SECRETARY LTD appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  38. 2004-01-16
    ➕
    BOOTH, David appointed
    director
  39. 2004-01-16
    ➕
    @UKPLC CLIENT DIRECTOR LTD appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

85/100
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 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.

Succession & seller-readiness

75/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 22 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.)

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Neil Maurice Richard Shelton
Individual · British · DOB 06/1970 · age 56
50–75%
50–75%50-75% shares · 50-75% voting06/04/2016

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 · Professional services · AB postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
A GREENCIRCLE ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING LTD→
SC847868 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
A J R FACILITIES CONSULTANCY LTD→
SC544953 · est 2016 · no financials extracted
————9y——
A JOB IN KNOCK LIMITED→
SC304240 · est 2006 · no financials extracted
————19y——
AE ECONOMICS LIMITED→
SC613612 · est 2018 · no financials extracted
————7y——
AECS GRAY ENGINEERING LTD.→
SC322000 · est 2007 · no financials extracted
————18y——
AGENTS OF DIGITAL CHANGE LTD→
SC808950 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
AGGREGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LIMITED→
SC860628 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
AJD CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED→
SC248282 · est 2003 · no financials extracted
————22y——
AKADDTECH LIMITED→
SC354359 · est 2009 · no financials extracted
————17y——
AKB TAX LIMITED→
SC739779 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
ALAMAD LIMITED→
SC393905 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————15y——
ALAMDAR CONSULTANTS LIMITED→
SC710747 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————4y——
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

7 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
Incorporated2004-01-16
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC78200 — Temporary employment agency activities

Registered office

Unit 12 Spurryhillock Industrial Estate
Stonehaven
Aberdeenshire
AB39 2NH
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-30
Last: 2026-01-16

Officers (2 active · 9 resigned)

JAMES AND GEORGE COLLIE LLP→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2012-04-09
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SHELTON, Neil Maurice Richard→
director · ~56y · appointed 2004-01-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BOOTH, David→
secretary · appointed 2004-01-16 · resigned 2005-09-30
Resigned
LAWS, Frank→
secretary · appointed 2005-11-03 · resigned 2012-04-09
Resigned
SHELTON, Freda→
secretary · appointed 2005-09-30 · resigned 2005-11-03
Resigned
@UKPLC CLIENT SECRETARY LTD→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2004-01-16 · resigned 2004-04-01
Resigned
BEATON, John William→
director · ~56y · appointed 2005-09-30 · resigned 2015-02-26
Resigned
BOOTH, David→
director · ~54y · appointed 2004-01-16 · resigned 2005-09-30
Resigned
SHELTON, Freda→
director · ~80y · appointed 2005-09-30 · resigned 2015-09-30
Resigned
STEPHEN, Kenneth→
director · ~76y · appointed 2012-04-19 · resigned 2026-03-03
Resigned
@UKPLC CLIENT DIRECTOR LTD→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2004-01-16 · resigned 2004-04-01
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Bond & floating charge1 property11/05/2006—
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Floating charge1 property20/03/200414/09/2006
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (109 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-17
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-03-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-08-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-28
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-01-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-03-23
change-corporate-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH04
2021-01-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-19