ABBEY GARAGES (CARDIFF) LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
01403368 · ltd · incorporated 1978-12-01
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 74-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 74). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 9 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (53/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
13 live charges · 9 lenders · oldest 48.3y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 48.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 9 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (74/100)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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
13 charges (13/13 with lender, 13/13 with type)
90
Directors & officers
4 officers (1 active, 4 linked, 2 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
118 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
70
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 · FRS 102Loss-making
Loss before tax £497,220
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-02-28 |
|---|---|
| Profit before tax | £-497.2k |
| Average employees | 91 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 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
4
filings
- • 2 mortgage
- • 1 officers
- • 1 address
Last 90 days
7
filings
- • 5 mortgage
- • 1 officers
- • 1 address
Last 180 days
12
filings
- • 8 mortgage
- • 1 officers
- • 1 address
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (49 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-05📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-05-05📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2026-05-05📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-05-05📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-05-05🔓Charge satisfied #13
- 2026-05-05🔓Charge satisfied #12
- 2026-04-30➖EVANS, Robert John resignedsecretary
- 2026-04-09📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-04-09📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-partmortgage · MR04
- 2026-04-09📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-04-09🔓Charge satisfied #10
- 2026-04-09🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2026-01-15📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2026-01-09🔒Charge registered #13Lender: Ortus Secured Finance I Limited (Crn: 08380992) as Security Trustee
- 2026-01-06📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-01-06📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-01-06🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2026-01-06🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2025-11-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-10📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-07-08🔒Charge registered #12Lender: Creation Consumer Finance Limited, Trading as Bnp Paribas Personal Finance
- 2024-12-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-11📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-12-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-partmortgage · MR04
- 2023-10-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-partmortgage · MR04
- 2023-10-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-partmortgage · MR04
- 2022-11-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-11-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-12-01➖BARRITT, William Moorhouse resigneddirector
- 2015-09-29🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2012-02-06🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2011-09-06🔓Charge satisfied #11
- 2011-09-06🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2011-09-06🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2006-05-04➖BARRITT, William Moorhouse resignedsecretary
- 2006-05-04➕EVANS, Robert John appointedsecretary
- 1997-04-14🔒Charge registered #11Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1993-09-20🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1993-06-15🔒Charge registered #9Lender: Ford Credit Europe PLC
- 1993-04-14🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1986-03-21🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Shell U.K.Limited
- 1985-01-17🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Ford Motor Credit Company Limited.
- 1985-01-17🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Ford Motor Credit Comapny Limited.
- 1985-01-17🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Ford Motor Credit Company Limited.
- 1981-02-12🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lombard North Central Limtied
- 1980-03-03🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1978-12-01🏢Company incorporatedAs ABBEY GARAGES (CARDIFF) LIMITED
- 1978-02-04🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lombard North Central Limited
Owner dependency
90/100
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.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 74 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 74 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 47 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Roger Charles Pugsley Individual · British · DOB 10/1952 · age 74 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
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 · Automotive · CF postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1DRIVE MOTORS LTD→ 16835524 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1ST CHOICE ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE LIMITED→ 04363836 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| 1ST CLASS BODY REPAIRS LTD→ 10450029 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| 1ST STOP MOT CARDIFF LTD→ 11597146 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 1ST STOP MOTOR GROUP LTD→ 16169429 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 3M TINTS LTD→ 16525466 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A B CAR SALES LIMITED→ 05013410 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| AA CARS CARDIFF LTD→ 15308072 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AB PRESTIGE LIMITED→ 16954296 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABERDARE AUTO TRADE LIMITED→ 09573406 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ABERDARE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES LTD→ 16211997 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ABERDARE CRASH ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE LTD→ 10865516 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
10 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
Incorporated1978-12-01
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45111 — Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Registered office
C/O Acuity Law 3 Assembly Square
Britannia Quay
Cardiff
CF10 4PL
Wales
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-14
Last: 2025-12-31
Officers (1 active · 3 resigned)
Active
BARRITT, William Moorhouse→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2006-05-04
EVANS, Robert John→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2006-05-04 · resigned 2026-04-30
BARRITT, William Moorhouse→
Resigneddirector · ~94y · resigned 2016-12-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
13
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:13 of 13 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Ortus Secured Finance I (Crn: 08380992) as Security Trustee Ortus Secured Finance I Limited (Crn: 08380992) as Security Trustee | A registered charge | 1 property | 09/01/2026 | 05/05/2026 | |
| satisfied | Creation Consumer Finance , Trading as Bnp Paribas Personal Finance Creation Consumer Finance Limited, Trading as Bnp Paribas Personal Finance | A registered charge | 1 property | 08/07/2025 | 05/05/2026 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 4 properties | 14/04/1997 | 06/09/2011 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 20/09/1993 | 09/04/2026 | |
| satisfied | Ford Credit Europe Ford Credit Europe PLC | Bulk deposit mortgage | 1 property | 15/06/1993 | 06/02/2012 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 14/04/1993 | 06/09/2011 | |
| satisfied | Shell U.K. Shell U.K.Limited | Legal charge | 1 property | 21/03/1986 | 06/09/2011 | |
| satisfied | Ford Motor Credit Company . Ford Motor Credit Company Limited. | Debenture | 1 property | 17/01/1985 | 06/01/2026 | |
| satisfied | Ford Motor Credit Comapny . Ford Motor Credit Comapny Limited. | Mortgage | 1 property | 17/01/1985 | 29/09/2015 | |
| satisfied | Ford Motor Credit Company . Ford Motor Credit Company Limited. | Charge | 1 property | 17/01/1985 | 06/01/2026 | |
| outstanding | Lombard North Central Limtied | Assignment | 1 property | 12/02/1981 | — | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Mortgage | 1 property | 03/03/1980 | 09/04/2026 | |
| outstanding | Lombard North Central Lombard North Central Limited | Floating charge | 1 property | 04/02/1978 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (118 total)
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-05-05
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2026-05-05
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-05-05
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-05-05
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-04-09
mortgage-satisfy-charge-part
mortgage · MR04
2026-04-09
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-04-09
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2026-01-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-12
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-01-06
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-01-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-11-28
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-07-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-04