UNIVERSAL DIRECT
⚰️Wound downdissolved
02433455 · private-unlimited · incorporated 1989-10-17
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Stable recent picture — watch for any upcoming trigger event.
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
64/100
Worth a look
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-trading company
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed dormant / non-trading — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 64/100 (worth a look), bankability 70/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Company dissolved. Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
Data confidence
Overall: low (51/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
13 officers (4 active, 13 linked, 7 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
19 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
104 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
64/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Business quality
30
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (45 events)Click to expand
- 2012-12-11📄gazette-dissolved-voluntarygazette · GAZ2(A)
- 2012-12-11🏁Company dissolved
- 2012-08-28📄gazette-notice-voluntarygazette · GAZ1(A)
- 2012-08-15📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2012-08-14📄dissolution-application-strike-off-companydissolution · DS01
- 2012-06-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2012-06-07📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2011-06-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2011-06-01📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2010-09-29📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2010-07-22📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2010-06-16📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2010-05-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2010-05-10📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-addressaddress · AD01
- 2009-11-11📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2009-11-10📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2009-11-10📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2009-11-10📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2009-11-09📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2009-06-16📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2009-06-04📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2008-08-13📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2008-08-06📄legacyofficers · 288a
- 2008-08-06📄legacyofficers · 288a
- 2008-08-06📄legacyofficers · 288b
- 2008-07-02📄legacyofficers · 288a
- 2008-07-01➕GEDDES, John Francis Alexander appointedsecretary
- 2008-07-01➕DOLLMAN, Paul Bernard appointeddirector
- 2008-07-01➕ENNIS, Michael John appointeddirector
- 2008-07-01➕GEDDES, John Francis Alexander appointeddirector
- 2008-07-01➖J M SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2008-07-01➖J M NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
- 2008-07-01➖J M SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
- 1999-03-23➖ANDERSON, Charles Adair resignedsecretary
- 1999-03-23➕J M SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 1999-03-23➖BENNETT, James Douglas Scott resigneddirector
- 1999-03-23➖JENKINSON, Dermot Julian resigneddirector
- 1999-03-23➕J M NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 1999-03-23➕J M SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 1998-11-07➖NOEL-PATON, Frederick Ranald, The Hon resigneddirector
- 1995-09-26➕ANDERSON, Charles Adair appointedsecretary
- 1995-09-26➖HULSE, David resignedsecretary
- 1995-09-26➕BENNETT, James Douglas Scott appointeddirector
- 1995-09-26➖DODSON, Michael William resigneddirector
- 1989-10-17🏢Company incorporatedAs UNIVERSAL DIRECT
Owner dependency
75/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 18 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 70 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
83/100
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 70 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 18 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 37 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 high ·Company dissolved
highCompany has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2012-12-11
🔒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 · Holding company · TW postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 WARRIOR SQUARE LIMITED→ 02613225 · est 1991 | £1.1k £941–£1.3k | — | £1.1k | — | 34y | — | — |
| 64 DENTON ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 03139109 · est 1995 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 30y | — | — |
| 66 HAMPTON ROAD BRISTOL MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 01704733 · est 1983 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 43y | — | — |
| 66BROADSTREET RTM COMPANY LIMITED→ 16621009 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 FASSETT ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 01934393 · est 1985 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 40y | — | — |
| 72 AVONDALE AVENUE LIMITED→ 10598449 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| 72 COPTHALL GARDENS LIMITED→ 03276380 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| 73 K.E.G. MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 14013841 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 74 CHURCH ROAD RICHMOND LIMITED→ 03319358 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| 76 MOUNT ARARAT ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 01377037 · est 1978 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 47y | — | — |
| 76SJD LIMITED→ 11558773 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 79 CHURCH ROAD RESIDENTS LIMITED→ 04176160 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
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
Statusdissolved
Typeprivate-unlimited
Incorporated1989-10-17
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC74990 — Non-trading company
Registered office
4 New Square
Bedfont Lakes
Middlesex
England
TW14 8HA
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2011-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —
Officers (0 active · 9 resigned)
GEDDES, John Francis Alexander→
Activesecretary · appointed 2008-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DOLLMAN, Paul Bernard→
Activedirector · ~70y · appointed 2008-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ENNIS, Michael John→
Activedirector · ~67y · appointed 2008-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GEDDES, John Francis Alexander→
Activedirector · ~58y · appointed 2008-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ANDERSON, Charles Adair→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1995-09-26 · resigned 1999-03-23
HULSE, David→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1995-09-26
J M SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 1999-03-23 · resigned 2008-07-01
BENNETT, James Douglas Scott→
Resigneddirector · ~84y · appointed 1995-09-26 · resigned 1999-03-23
DODSON, Michael William→
Resigneddirector · ~78y · resigned 1995-09-26
JENKINSON, Dermot Julian→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · resigned 1999-03-23
NOEL-PATON, Frederick Ranald, The Hon→
Resigneddirector · ~88y · resigned 1998-11-07
J M NOMINEES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 1999-03-23 · resigned 2008-07-01
J M SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 1999-03-23 · resigned 2008-07-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (104 total)
gazette-dissolved-voluntary
gazette · GAZ2(A)
2012-12-11
gazette-notice-voluntary
gazette · GAZ1(A)
2012-08-28
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2012-08-15
dissolution-application-strike-off-company
dissolution · DS01
2012-08-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2012-06-07
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2012-06-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2011-06-14
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2011-06-01
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2010-09-29
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2010-07-22
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2010-06-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2010-05-26
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address
address · AD01
2010-05-10
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2009-11-11
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2009-11-10