AYLE COLLIERY COMPANY LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00281899 · ltd · incorporated 1933-11-23
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
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46120
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (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: Discharge stale live charges. 3 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 31.0y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 31.0 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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (2 active, 5 linked, 3 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
94 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
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 10 | 1000 |
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
3
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (23 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-30📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-03-30📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-12-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-11-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-02-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-03-16📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-12-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-03-13📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2013-12-20➕MCMAHON, Alison Victoria appointedsecretary
- 2013-12-20➖SHEPHERD, Margaret Sheila resignedsecretary
- 2010-03-16🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2008-07-24➖SHEPHERD, John resigneddirector
- 2008-07-24➖SHEPHERD, Margaret Sheila resigneddirector
- 1997-03-24🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Coal Authority
- 1995-05-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Coal Authority
- 1933-11-23🏢Company incorporatedAs AYLE COLLIERY COMPANY LIMITED
Owner dependency
83/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 93 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
cleanNo 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr John Kevin Shepherd Individual · British · DOB 06/1962 · age 64 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control · trust interest | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr John Kevin Shepherd - Life Interest Settlementceased 06/04/2016· 50-75% shares · 50-75% 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
Active · Wholesale & distribution · CA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALPHAGREEN SOLUTIONS UK LIMITED→ 16139115 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BIOGLOW ALGAE LTD→ 15011370 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BURROW & RUTTER-ARMSTRONG ENGINEERING LTD→ 12353425 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| CEP NORTHWEST LIMITED→ 16693739 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CORNVALE FOODS LIMITED→ 04188889 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
| CRAIG KENNEDY LIMITED→ 09332020 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| CUMBRIA BUILDING SUPPLIES HOLDINGS LTD→ 11931133 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| CUMBRIA COAL LIMITED→ 11250172 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| CUMBRIA COMPOSITE DECKING AND TIMBER LTD→ 12641560 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| CUMBRIA METAL GATES AND RAILINGS LTD→ 13326955 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| CUMBRIA POWER MACHINE LIMITED→ 12033366 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| CUMBRIA RECYCLING LIMITED→ 05507680 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1933-11-23
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46120 — SIC 46120
Registered office
Sunnyside
Alston
Cumbria
CA9 3NF
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-27
Last: 2026-03-13
Officers (2 active · 3 resigned)
MCMAHON, Alison Victoria→
Activesecretary · appointed 2013-12-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SHEPHERD, Margaret Sheila→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2013-12-20
SHEPHERD, John→
Resigneddirector · ~89y · resigned 2008-07-24
SHEPHERD, Margaret Sheila→
Resigneddirector · ~91y · resigned 2008-07-24
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
3
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 16/03/2010 | — | |
| outstanding | The Coal Authority | Security deed | 1 property | 24/03/1997 | — | |
| outstanding | The Coal Authority | Security deed | 1 property | 30/05/1995 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (94 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-30
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-03-30
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-03-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-11-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-02-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-03-17