ACORN DEVELOPMENTS (KENDAL) LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
03851089 · ltd · incorporated 1999-09-30
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 Sept 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
67/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Development of building projects
Sector: Construction
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 67/100 (strong), bankability 32/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 69). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: asset disposal / carve-out (55/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

13 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 26.6y

15/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 26.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (78/100)

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
13 charges (13/13 with lender, 13/13 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (1 active, 7 linked, 3 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
98 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
67/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
40
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
66
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Sept 2024Sept 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-09-302024-09-30
Average employees100100

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
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (45 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-02-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-02-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-03-18
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  4. 2024-03-18
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  5. 2024-02-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2023-03-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-02-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-05-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2020-07-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2019-05-24
    📄
    accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AAMD
  11. 2019-05-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2018-10-29
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  13. 2018-10-29
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  14. 2018-10-24
    ➖
    DODDS, Stephen Martin resigned
    secretary
  15. 2018-10-24
    ➖
    DODDS, Stephen Martin resigned
    director
  16. 2018-10-02
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  17. 2018-10-02
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  18. 2018-07-31
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  19. 2018-07-19
    ➖
    HAMILTON, Ian Andrew resigned
    director
  20. 2011-07-11
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #12
  21. 2007-12-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #13
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  22. 2007-07-06
    🔒
    Charge registered #12
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  23. 2007-06-13
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #7
  24. 2006-05-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #11
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  25. 2005-07-01
    🔒
    Charge registered #10
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  26. 2005-05-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #9
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  27. 2004-04-19
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  28. 2004-03-31
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  29. 2002-01-16
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  30. 2002-01-14
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  31. 2001-10-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Zurich Insurance Company
  32. 2001-01-12
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  33. 2000-02-01
    ➖
    HARRISON, Irene Lesley resigned
    secretary
  34. 2000-01-26
    ➕
    HARRISON, Irene Lesley appointed
    secretary
  35. 2000-01-14
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  36. 1999-12-03
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
  37. 1999-10-11
    ➕
    SCOTT, Christopher Robin appointed
    director
  38. 1999-10-11
    ➕
    DODDS, Stephen Martin appointed
    secretary
  39. 1999-10-11
    ➖
    HARRISON, Irene Lesley resigned
    nominee-secretary
  40. 1999-10-11
    ➕
    DODDS, Stephen Martin appointed
    director
  41. 1999-10-11
    ➕
    HAMILTON, Ian Andrew appointed
    director
  42. 1999-10-11
    ➖
    BUSINESS INFORMATION RESEARCH & REPORTING LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  43. 1999-09-30
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ACORN DEVELOPMENTS (KENDAL) LIMITED
  44. 1999-09-30
    ➕
    HARRISON, Irene Lesley appointed
    nominee-secretary
  45. 1999-09-30
    ➕
    BUSINESS INFORMATION RESEARCH & REPORTING LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

100/100
Critical — business is the founder

The 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 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 69 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

95/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 69. 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 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 27 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

2 med · 1 low
Has insolvency history
medium

Companies House flags prior insolvency events. Review the insolvency filings for context.

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

11 live charges
low

Heavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.

Group structure

Kendal Autobody Limited holds majority control (50-75%). Likely parent but not wholly-owned.

🏛️
Kendal Autobody Limited
Corporate parent · holds 50-75% shares · board control
majority
⬇
ACORN DEVELOPMENTS (KENDAL) LIMITED
This company · 03851089

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Kendal Autobody Limited
Corporate entity
50–75%
50–75%board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control08/12/2017
Mr Christopher Robin Scott
Individual · British · DOB 08/1957 · age 69
25–50%
—25-50% shares06/04/2016
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr Stephen Martin Doddsceased 12/03/2024· 25-50% shares
  • Mr Ian Andrew Hamiltonceased 08/12/2017· 25-50% shares

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 →

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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
Incorporated1999-09-30
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC41100 — Development of building projects

Registered office

Kendal Autobody Limited
Shap Road Industrial Estate
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 6NZ
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-06-30
Last made up to: 2025-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-28
Last: 2026-05-14

Officers (1 active · 6 resigned)

SCOTT, Christopher Robin→
director · ~69y · appointed 1999-10-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DODDS, Stephen Martin→
secretary · appointed 1999-10-11 · resigned 2018-10-24
Resigned
HARRISON, Irene Lesley→
secretary · appointed 2000-01-26 · resigned 2000-02-01
Resigned
HARRISON, Irene Lesley→
nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-09-30 · resigned 1999-10-11
Resigned
DODDS, Stephen Martin→
director · ~75y · appointed 1999-10-11 · resigned 2018-10-24
Resigned
HAMILTON, Ian Andrew→
director · ~65y · appointed 1999-10-11 · resigned 2018-07-19
Resigned
BUSINESS INFORMATION RESEARCH & REPORTING LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-09-30 · resigned 1999-10-11
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

13
Total charges
11
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:13 of 13 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
Legal mortgage3 properties13/12/2007—
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
Legal mortgage1 property06/07/200711/07/2011
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Legal mortgage1 property24/05/2006—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Legal mortgage1 property01/07/2005—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Legal mortgage1 property20/05/2005—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Legal mortgage1 property19/04/2004—
satisfied
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Legal mortgage (own account)1 property31/03/200413/06/2007
outstanding
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Legal mortgage1 property16/01/2002—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Legal mortgage (own account)1 property14/01/2002—
outstanding
Zurich Insurance Company
Deed of deposit and charge1 property22/10/2001—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Legal mortgage1 property12/01/2001—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Legal mortgage (own account)2 properties14/01/2000—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Yorkshire Bank PLC
Debenture1 property03/12/1999—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (98 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-02-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-02-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-14
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2024-03-18
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-03-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-02-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-02-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-05-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-10-09