ABBEY MOTORIST CENTRE LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04504856 · ltd · incorporated 2002-08-06
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 Aug 2025
Net worth
£24.2k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45200
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 67-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 67). 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).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (76/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
7 officers (2 active, 7 linked, 3 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
76 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £24,230
Cash YoY
+16%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£57k
↑ 16% YoY
Net Worth
£24k
↑ 2.2% YoY
Current Assets
£58k
↑ 16% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-08-31 | 2024-08-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £24.2k | £23.7k |
| Current assets | £58.4k | £50.2k |
| Cash | £56.9k | £49.1k |
| Debtors | £441 | — |
| Net assets | £24.2k | £23.7k |
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
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-02-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-02-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-10-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2023-10-20📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2023-09-08📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-07-31➖CLARKE, Raymond resigneddirector
- 2023-05-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2020-03-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2018-08-10📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2018-02-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2011-04-21➖RICHARDSON, Ricky Michael resigneddirector
- 2003-10-31➕PAGE, Geoffrey appointedsecretary
- 2003-10-31➖CLARKE, Marian resignedsecretary
- 2002-08-12➕PAGE, Geoffrey appointeddirector
- 2002-08-12➕CLARKE, Marian appointedsecretary
- 2002-08-12➕CLARKE, Raymond appointeddirector
- 2002-08-12➕RICHARDSON, Ricky Michael appointeddirector
- 2002-08-09➖FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-08-09➖FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2002-08-06🏢Company incorporatedAs ABBEY MOTORIST CENTRE LIMITED
- 2002-08-06➕FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-08-06➕FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD appointedcorporate-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 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — 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 67. 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 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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 Geoffrey Page Individual · British · DOB 03/1959 · age 67 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 31/07/2023 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Raymond Clarkeceased 31/07/2023· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting
- Mr Geoffrey Pageceased 31/07/2023· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · EN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121 DETAILING LTD→ 14700649 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 123 SALVAGE UK LTD→ 16405310 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1ST STOP AUTO CARE LIMITED→ 10861921 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| 4YOU MOTORCYCLES LTD→ 16446622 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 786 MOTOR TRADERS LIMITED→ 08837238 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| A1 CAR AND COMMERCIALS LTD→ 10718122 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| A1 CAR CLEANING AND VALETING LIMITED→ 13048761 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| AAARISTO GROUP LTD→ 09815870 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ABBEY SERVICE STATION LIMITED→ 00990816 · est 1970 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 55y | — | — |
| ABLTRADE INTERNATIONAL LTD→ 14023171 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACE REPAIRS LONDON LTD→ 16055764 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ADA - MARCH CONNECT LTD.→ 02999841 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2002-08-06
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45200 — SIC 45200
Registered office
167 Turners Hill
Cheshunt
Hertfordshire
EN8 9BH
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-05-31
Last made up to: 2025-08-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-20
Last: 2025-08-06
Officers (2 active · 5 resigned)
Active
PAGE, Geoffrey→
Activedirector · ~67y · appointed 2002-08-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CLARKE, Marian→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-08-12 · resigned 2003-10-31
FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-08-06 · resigned 2002-08-09
CLARKE, Raymond→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2002-08-12 · resigned 2023-07-31
RICHARDSON, Ricky Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~65y · appointed 2002-08-12 · resigned 2011-04-21
FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-08-06 · resigned 2002-08-09
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (76 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-04-15
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-03-07
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-02-15
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-02-15
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-02-15
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2023-10-20
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2023-10-20
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-09-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-05-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-07-27