AUTO MOBILE GARAGE SERVICES LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04534004 · ltd · incorporated 2002-09-12
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 Dec 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
74/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45200
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 74/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 16.5y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 16.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · 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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (1 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
84 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
74/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
77
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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (37 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-01📄capital-alter-shares-subdivisioncapital · SH02
- 2025-06-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-07📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-28📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-04-26🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2023-04-25📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2023-04-19📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-04-14🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 2023-03-23📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-03-23📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-03-23🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2023-03-23🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2022-11-28📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-10-05📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-10-05📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-10-05📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-09-28➖RICHARDS, Janet resignedsecretary
- 2022-09-28➖RICHARDS, John Alan resigneddirector
- 2022-09-28📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-09-28📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2022-06-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2009-12-14🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2009-11-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2006-03-11➕KNIPE, Craig appointeddirector
- 2005-02-22➕RICHARDS, Janet appointedsecretary
- 2005-02-14➖RICHARDS, Sheila Mary resignedsecretary
- 2002-09-12🏢Company incorporatedAs AUTO MOBILE GARAGE SERVICES LIMITED
- 2002-09-12➕GRAEME, Dorothy May appointednominee-secretary
- 2002-09-12➖GRAEME, Dorothy May resignednominee-secretary
- 2002-09-12➕RICHARDS, Sheila Mary appointedsecretary
- 2002-09-12➕GRAEME, Lesley Joyce appointednominee-director
- 2002-09-12➖GRAEME, Lesley Joyce resignednominee-director
- 2002-09-12➕RICHARDS, John Alan appointeddirector
Owner dependency
85/100
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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 20 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
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 · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Craig Knipe Individual · British · DOB 12/1977 · age 49 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr John Alan Richardsceased 28/11/2022· 25-50% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · YO postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADDAUTO LIMITED→ 15291375 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE GROUP LIMITED→ 10921314 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| AFFORDABLE CARS (DRIFFIELD) LIMITED→ 09889589 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ALDERSON MOTORS LTD→ 16676105 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALEXANDERS PRESTIGE LIMITED→ 05501999 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ALS TRADE CARS LTD→ 13357726 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AM PAINT AND BODYSHOP SUPPLIES LTD→ 15682142 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AMPAINTWORX LTD→ 15450818 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ATDPAINTWORKPROTECTION LTD→ 12200062 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| AUTO FLIPZ UK LTD→ 16766963 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AUTOCELTIC LTD→ 16565423 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AUTOCOOL RADIATORS LIMITED→ 04534443 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 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
Incorporated2002-09-12
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45200 — SIC 45200
Registered office
J W S Hopper Hill Road
Scarborough Business Park
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
YO11 3YS
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-21
Last: 2025-08-07
Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)
KNIPE, Craig→
Activedirector · ~49y · appointed 2006-03-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GRAEME, Dorothy May→
Resignednominee-secretary · appointed 2002-09-12 · resigned 2002-09-12
RICHARDS, Janet→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-02-22 · resigned 2022-09-28
RICHARDS, Sheila Mary→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-09-12 · resigned 2005-02-14
GRAEME, Lesley Joyce→
Resignednominee-director · ~73y · appointed 2002-09-12 · resigned 2002-09-12
RICHARDS, John Alan→
Resigneddirector · ~65y · appointed 2002-09-12 · resigned 2022-09-28
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 26/04/2023 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 14/04/2023 | — | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 14/12/2009 | 23/03/2023 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 30/11/2009 | 23/03/2023 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (84 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2026-04-17
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-07
capital-alter-shares-subdivision
capital · SH02
2025-07-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-06-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-09-13
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-07
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-08-07
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-19
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2023-04-28
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2023-04-25
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2023-04-19
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-23
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-23