AUTO CENTRE INVERURIE LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC277807 · ltd · incorporated 2004-12-23
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
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£2.35M
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
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: Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 45200SIC 45200
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.

Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 21.2y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 21.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (76/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 2 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
5 officers (2 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
67 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

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

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
65
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 £2,346,989
Cash YoY
+73%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£180k
↑ 73% YoY
Net Worth
£2.3m
↑ 1.5% YoY
Current Assets
£1.6m
↓ 3.1% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£469k£939k£1.4m£1.9m£2.3mMar 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£2.40M£2.38M
Current assets£1.60M£1.65M
Cash£180.3k£104.4k
Debtors£149.2k£213.1k
Net assets£2.35M£2.31M

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
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-08-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-07-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-01-04
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  4. 2023-12-19
    ➖
    GRANT SMITH LAW PRACTICE LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  5. 2023-12-19
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  6. 2023-12-19
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  7. 2023-12-19
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  8. 2023-07-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2023-01-06
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  10. 2023-01-06
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  11. 2022-06-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2021-09-10
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  13. 2021-07-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2021-01-19
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  15. 2020-06-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2019-06-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2018-12-20
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  18. 2018-06-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  19. 2016-06-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC (Trading as Both Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank) (Company Number SC001111)
  20. 2012-05-12
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  21. 2011-08-01
    ➕
    GRANT SMITH LAW PRACTICE LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  22. 2011-07-31
    ➖
    THE GRANT SMITH LAW PRACTICE resigned
    corporate-secretary
  23. 2008-09-11
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  24. 2008-05-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: George Cowie Mair
  25. 2005-02-10
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  26. 2004-12-23
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As AUTO CENTRE INVERURIE LIMITED
  27. 2004-12-23
    ➕
    CAMPBELL, Stuart Edward appointed
    director
  28. 2004-12-23
    ➕
    MAIR, Philip Cowie appointed
    director
  29. 2004-12-23
    ➕
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  30. 2004-12-23
    ➖
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  31. 2004-12-23
    ➕
    THE GRANT SMITH LAW PRACTICE appointed
    corporate-secretary

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
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.

Succession & seller-readiness

66/100
Strong succession signal

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

SIGNALS
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 21 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

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Stuart Edward Campbell
Individual · British · DOB 02/1978 · age 48
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016
Mr Philip Cowie Mair
Individual · British · DOB 03/1971 · age 55
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

Similar companies

Active · Automotive · AB postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
AUTO LOUNGE MOT & SERVICE CENTRE LIMITED→
SC865778 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
AUTOMASTERS INVERURIE LTD→
SC570730 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
————8y——
AUTOVATION LTD→
SC734034 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
BIC MOBILE CAR WASH LTD→
SC836611 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
————1y——
BLACKBURN GARAGE LIMITED→
SC455822 · est 2013 · no financials extracted
————12y——
BOLA WHEELS UK LTD→
SC834343 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
————1y——
BOTHIEBRIG GARAGE SERVICES LIMITED→
SC625563 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
————7y——
BREAKING POINT LIMITED→
SC167411 · est 1996 · no financials extracted
————29y——
BRIAN HENDERSON CAR SALES LTD→
SC745274 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
BRICKFIELD MOTORS LTD.→
SC264264 · est 2004 · no financials extracted
————22y——
BROAD MECH SERVICES LTD→
SC702095 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————4y——
BRT MOTORSPORT LIMITED→
SC518032 · est 2015 · no financials extracted
————10y——
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
Incorporated2004-12-23
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC45111 — Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles

Registered office

55-57 West High Street
Inverurie
AB51 3QQ
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-06
Last: 2025-12-23

Officers (2 active · 3 resigned)

CAMPBELL, Stuart Edward→
director · ~48y · appointed 2004-12-23
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MAIR, Philip Cowie→
director · ~55y · appointed 2004-12-23
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GRANT SMITH LAW PRACTICE LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2011-08-01 · resigned 2023-12-19
Resigned
OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2004-12-23 · resigned 2004-12-23
Resigned
THE GRANT SMITH LAW PRACTICE→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2004-12-23 · resigned 2011-07-31
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC (Trading as Both Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank) (Company Number SC001111)
A registered charge—08/06/2016—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
Standard security1 property11/09/2008—
satisfied
George Cowie Mair
Standard security1 property21/05/200812/05/2012
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Floating charge1 property10/02/2005—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (67 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-06
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-19
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-09
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-01-04
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-12-19
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-12-19
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-12-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-21
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-01-06
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-01-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-06-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-12