BARLOW MOTORS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
05583716 · ltd · incorporated 2005-10-05
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Stable recent picture — watch for any upcoming trigger event.
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 67-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 67). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 19.9y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 19.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: low (54/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
4 officers (2 active, 4 linked, 2 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
75 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
82
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 (30 events)Click to expand
- 2026-07-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-13📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-10-13📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-05-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-05📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-07-01🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Santander UK PLC
- 2019-06-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-10-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-12-04📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2017-12-01📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2017-11-28📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2017-11-28📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2017-11-28📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2011-10-05➖BROADWAY SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2010-11-22🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Volkswagen Bank Gmbh T/a Volkswagen Bank United Kingdom Branch
- 2010-11-22🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited
- 2009-06-18🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Volkswagen Bank Gmbh T/a Volkswagen Bank United Kingdom Branch
- 2009-04-23➕BARLOW, David John appointeddirector
- 2006-08-31🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank PLC
- 2006-08-31🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited
- 2005-10-05🏢Company incorporatedAs BARLOW MOTORS LIMITED
- 2005-10-05➕OWEN, Mark Andrew Peter appointeddirector
- 2005-10-05➕BROADWAY SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2005-10-05➕BROADWAY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 2005-10-05➖BROADWAY DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
98/100
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "BARLOW" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
86/100
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.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 21 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 low6 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Mark Andrew Peter Owen Individual · British · DOB 06/1959 · age 67 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 05/10/2017 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr David John Barlowceased 05/10/2017· 75-100% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · WV postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEST CAR GARAGE LIMITED→ 12086990 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BESTWAY MOTORS LTD→ 15305316 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BIRMINGHAM BRAKE SPECIALISTS LTD→ 06481486 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| BMOT NIG LIMITED→ 16911420 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMWILLENHALL LIMITED→ 11372324 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BODY CAR SG LTD→ 16192236 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BRADBURN MOTOR SERVICES LTD→ 15391238 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| CAR REPAIR GARAGE STOP LTD→ 16402240 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CAR SALES WOLVERHAMPTON LIMITED→ 14917728 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| CARCART LTD→ 10018486 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| CARDINAL MOTORS LIMITED→ 07029813 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| CAREFULLY CONSIDERED CARS LTD→ 14774254 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2005-10-05
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45111 — Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Registered office
1 Evans Street
Whitmore Reans
Wolverhampton
West Midlands
WV6 0PL
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-19
Last: 2025-10-05
Officers (2 active · 2 resigned)
BARLOW, David John→
Activedirector · ~51y · appointed 2009-04-23
View their other companies + combined net worth →
OWEN, Mark Andrew Peter→
Activedirector · ~67y · appointed 2005-10-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BROADWAY SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2005-10-05 · resigned 2011-10-05
BROADWAY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 2005-10-05 · resigned 2005-10-05
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
6
Outstanding
4
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Santander Santander UK PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 01/07/2019 | — | |
| outstanding | Volkswagen Bank Gmbh T/a Volkswagen Bank United Kingdom Branch | Legal charge | 1 property | 22/11/2010 | — | |
| outstanding | Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited | Legal charge | 1 property | 22/11/2010 | — | |
| outstanding | Volkswagen Bank Gmbh T/a Volkswagen Bank United Kingdom Branch | General charge | 1 property | 18/06/2009 | — | |
| outstanding | Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank / Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank PLC / Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 31/08/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited | General charge | 1 property | 31/08/2006 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (75 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2026-07-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-21
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-13
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-10-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2021-10-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2021-01-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-12-03