AUTOPARTS (CUMBRIA) LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
02579204 · ltd · incorporated 1991-02-01
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 Apr 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 65). 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
2 live charges · oldest 3.6y
35/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Charge age ~3.6 years — mid-life; refi window approaching.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (2 active, 7 linked, 3 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
89 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
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 | 2025-04-30 | 2024-04-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 2800 | 2700 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-16📄mortgage-acquire-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-acquisition-datemortgage · MR02
- 2023-02-28🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2023-01-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-24📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-11-23🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2021-11-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-01-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-05-01📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2019-01-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-11-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-01-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-03-22📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2016-03-22📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2006-08-31➖TATE, David William resigneddirector
- 2006-08-31➖TATE, Linda resigneddirector
- 2000-10-01➕NICHOLSON, Sharon appointedsecretary
- 2000-10-01➖TATE, David William resignedsecretary
- 2000-10-01➕TATE, Linda appointeddirector
- 1991-02-01🏢Company incorporatedAs AUTOPARTS (CUMBRIA) LIMITED
- 1991-02-01➕NICHOLSON, Trevor appointeddirector
- 1991-02-01➕TATE, David William appointedsecretary
- 1991-02-01➕BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1991-02-01➖BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1991-02-01➕TATE, David William appointeddirector
- 1991-02-01➕DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1991-02-01➖DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
100/100
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 35 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
95/100
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 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 35 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 35 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
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 · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Trevor Nicholson Individual · British · DOB 07/1961 · age 65 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/12/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · LA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACM AUTOS LTD→ 14333626 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AERO MOTOR CARE LTD→ 16364017 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AG AUTO SERVICES (MORECAMBE) LTD→ 14683410 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AG MOTORS (BARROW) LIMITED→ 11441052 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AGRI-PLANT SV LIMITED→ 06311653 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| ASHWORTH STREET GARAGE LIMITED→ 04741231 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| ATHERSMITH MOTOR SERVICES LIMITED→ 04277231 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| AUTO EMPORIUM CUMBRIA LIMITED→ 14952344 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AUTODENT (CUMBRIA) LTD→ 08286750 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| AUTOWORKS (CA1) LIMITED→ 09592639 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| AXJ PROPERTY LIMITED→ 13707579 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| B&D MOTORS LIMITED→ 04548752 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1991-02-01
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45320 — Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
Registered office
Unit 6 Clawthorpe Hall
Burton In Kendal
Carnforth
LA6 1NU
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-15
Last: 2026-02-01
Officers (2 active · 5 resigned)
Active
NICHOLSON, Trevor→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 1991-02-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
TATE, David William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1991-02-01 · resigned 2000-10-01
BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1991-02-01 · resigned 1991-02-01
TATE, David William→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 1991-02-01 · resigned 2006-08-31
TATE, Linda→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · appointed 2000-10-01 · resigned 2006-08-31
DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1991-02-01 · resigned 1991-02-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 28/02/2023 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 23/11/2022 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (89 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-26
mortgage-acquire-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-acquisition-date
mortgage · MR02
2023-03-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-01-18
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-11-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-02-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-11-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-02-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-02-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-02-11