A2Z SERVICES LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04636841 · ltd · incorporated 2003-01-14
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 Jan 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45200
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: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 23.4y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 23.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · 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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 4 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
3 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
55 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 | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 300 | 300 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals 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
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (26 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-06-12➖WASHBROOK, Paul resignedsecretary
- 2025-06-12📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-03-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-03-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-03-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-06-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-17📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2017-06-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-04-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-09-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-07-06📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-07-21📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2012-05-21➖WASHBROOK, Terry resigneddirector
- 2005-01-15➖WADE, Michael Raymond resigneddirector
- 2004-04-30➖GIERAN, Mark Anthony resigneddirector
- 2003-02-11🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2003-01-14🏢Company incorporatedAs A2Z SERVICES LIMITED
- 2003-01-14➕WASHBROOK, Paul appointeddirector
- 2003-01-14➕WASHBROOK, Paul appointedsecretary
- 2003-01-14➕GIERAN, Mark Anthony appointeddirector
- 2003-01-14➕WADE, Michael Raymond appointeddirector
- 2003-01-14➕WASHBROOK, Terry appointeddirector
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 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 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
3 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Paul Washbrook Individual · British · DOB 04/1961 · age 65 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Paul Washbrook Individual · British · DOB 04/1961 · age 65 | 50–75% | — | 50-75% shares | 06/04/2016 |
Mrs Debra Jane Washbrook Individual · British · DOB 09/1960 · age 66 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · CV postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALEANDA UK LTD→ 16313522 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARCHER AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTIONS LIMITED→ 11416541 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ARDEN AUTO TRADING LTD→ 16766774 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AREA51 AUTOMOTIVE LTD→ 16573332 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARENA AUTO CENTRE LTD→ 11039051 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ARIMAL TRADING LTD→ 17030338 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARNOLD LANE SERVICE CENTRE (NOTTS) LTD→ 14775521 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ARTEMIS GARAGE LTD→ 12786601 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ASR PEFORMANCE LTD→ 15894851 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AST CONTRACTING LIMITED→ 16375034 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ASTON MARTIN WORKS LIMITED→ 07102840 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| ASTON ROAD GARAGE LIMITED→ 07754075 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2003-01-14
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45200 — SIC 45200
Registered office
Unit 4b Southfield Road
Kineton Road Industrial Estate
Southam
Warwickshire
CV47 0FB
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-09
Last: 2025-07-26
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
WASHBROOK, Paul→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 2003-01-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WASHBROOK, Paul→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-01-14 · resigned 2025-06-12
GIERAN, Mark Anthony→
Resigneddirector · ~61y · appointed 2003-01-14 · resigned 2004-04-30
WADE, Michael Raymond→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2003-01-14 · resigned 2005-01-15
WASHBROOK, Terry→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2003-01-14 · resigned 2012-05-21
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 11/02/2003 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (55 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-04
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2025-06-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-04-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-07-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-04-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-07-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-03-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-07-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-03-15