AVIA SIGNS LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
SC294479 · ltd · incorporated 2005-12-14
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 Dec 2024
Net worth
£34.8k
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 62-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 62). 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 19.6y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (1 active, 6 linked, 5 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
87 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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £34,758
Net assets shrinking
Down £121,529 YoY
Cash YoY
+1460%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£749
↑ 1460% YoY
Net Worth
£35k
↓ 78% YoY
Current Assets
£471k
↓ 23% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £270.9k | £309.6k |
| Current assets | £470.8k | £610.0k |
| Cash | £749 | £48 |
| Debtors | £460.1k | £589.6k |
| Net assets | £34.8k | £156.3k |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2025-05-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-03-21📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-03-21📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-08-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-02-23📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2019-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-02📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2019-09-25📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2018-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-11-30📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2017-11-30📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2014-03-19🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
- 2014-02-03➖MACRAE, Audrey resignedsecretary
- 2014-02-03➖MACRAE, Audrey resigneddirector
- 2013-04-05🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2013-04-05🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2011-05-03🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Bibby Factors Scotland Limited
- 2011-03-01➖DILLON, Elaine Elizabeth resigneddirector
- 2011-03-01➖DILLON, Ian John resigneddirector
- 2010-04-23🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
- 2009-06-01➕DILLON, Ian John appointeddirector
- 2007-04-17➖DILLON, Ian John resigneddirector
- 2006-08-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
- 2006-01-01➕DILLON, Elaine Elizabeth appointeddirector
- 2006-01-01➕DILLON, Ian John appointeddirector
- 2005-12-14🏢Company incorporatedAs AVIA SIGNS LIMITED
- 2005-12-14➕MACRAE, Alan appointeddirector
- 2005-12-14➕MACRAE, Audrey appointedsecretary
- 2005-12-14➕MACRAE, Audrey appointeddirector
Owner dependency
93/100
Critical — business is the founderThe 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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 62 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 62. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 20 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
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Alan Macrae Individual · British · DOB 12/1964 · age 62 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mrs Donna Macraeceased 21/03/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. WALKER SERVICES LTD→ SC302028 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| ATMOS BARBERING LTD→ SC850485 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AUDRA J MACPHEE LTD→ SC813328 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AYLA YILDIZ LTD→ SC808037 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BAHEZ BUSINESS LTD→ SC723342 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BANKHEAD WINDOW CLEANING LIMITED→ SC457999 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| BAZIAN CUTS LTD→ SC827428 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BERLIN FOOD COMPANY (EDINBURGH) LTD→ SC580998 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BG UTILITIES & TELECOMS LIMITED→ SC777438 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BIGGAR CARS LIMITED→ SC393967 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| BIGGAR MIC LTD→ SC713710 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BIOTEK ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE UK LIMITED→ SC775508 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2005-12-14
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Registered office
Unit 4, 5, 6 Brown Street
Coatbridge
ML5 4AS
Scotland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-04
Last: 2026-03-21
Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)
MACRAE, Alan→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2005-12-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MACRAE, Audrey→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-12-14 · resigned 2014-02-03
DILLON, Elaine Elizabeth→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2006-01-01 · resigned 2011-03-01
DILLON, Ian John→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 2009-06-01 · resigned 2011-03-01
DILLON, Ian John→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 2006-01-01 · resigned 2007-04-17
MACRAE, Audrey→
Resigneddirector · ~62y · appointed 2005-12-14 · resigned 2014-02-03
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/03/2014 | — | |
| outstanding | Bibby Financial Services Bibby Factors Scotland Limited | Floating charge | 1 property | 03/05/2011 | — | |
| satisfied | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance Limited | Floating charge | 1 property | 23/04/2010 | 05/04/2013 | |
| satisfied | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance Limited | Floating charge | 1 property | 30/08/2006 | 05/04/2013 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (87 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-01
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-21
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-03-21
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-03-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-08-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-07-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-09-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-05-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-02-23