LONEPIPER LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
05924997 · ltd · incorporated 2006-09-05
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 May 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 54). 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
2 live charges · oldest 15.3y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 15.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (73/100)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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
114 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
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
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-05-31 |
|---|---|
| Average employees | 8 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-03-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-18📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-03-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-07📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-03-07📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-02-19📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2024-02-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2024-02-18📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-02-16📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2024-02-12📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-02-07📄capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capitalcapital · SH02
- 2024-02-06📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-02-05📄capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capitalcapital · SH02
- 2024-01-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-01-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-01-17🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2024-01-17🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2023-06-13📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2023-05-31📄capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capitalcapital · SH02
- 2023-03-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-10📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-11-10📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-10-05🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2016-03-24➖TRETHOWANS SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2014-04-15➖SCHWARZENBACH, Guy resigneddirector
- 2011-02-11🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2007-05-30➕SCHWARZENBACH, Guy appointeddirector
- 2006-09-20➖SECRETARIAL APPOINTMENTS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2006-09-20➖CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2006-09-05🏢Company incorporatedAs LONEPIPER LIMITED
- 2006-09-05➕MACKENZIE SMITH, Hugo Duncan Thomas Torquil appointeddirector
- 2006-09-05➕SECRETARIAL APPOINTMENTS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2006-09-05➕TRETHOWANS SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2006-09-05➕CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
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
68/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 20 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 Hugo Duncan Thomas Torquil Mackenzie Smith Individual · British · DOB 06/1972 · age 54 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Bridget Anne Hanburyceased 31/01/2024· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting
- Mr Christopher Osgood Philip Hanburyceased 10/05/2022· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting
- Mr Urs Ernst Schwarzenbachceased 14/10/2016· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control
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 →Similar companies
Active · Trade services · SO postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1ST GARDEN MAINTENANCE LIMITED→ 07840763 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| 5 STAR OFFICE LTD→ 12505541 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| 7 T 7 PM LIMITED→ 11699050 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 8-11 PARKLANDS CLOSE MANAGEMENT COMPANY LTD→ 04650810 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| 9 DEGREE BARBER LIMITED→ 16862532 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A A JAMKA STUDIO HONEY LIMITED→ 16019858 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| A BEAUTY (SOUTHAMPTON) LTD→ 15310235 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| A&B BODY CLINIC LTD→ 15127454 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| A1 CAR NEW FOREST LTD→ 08724844 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| A1 CAR WASH LTD→ 16464027 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A1 CARPET CLEANING CHICHESTER LTD→ 14451164 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AA CONSULTING & TRAINING SERVICES (HOLDINGS) LTD→ 14987229 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2006-09-05
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Registered office
The Pavilion
Botleigh Grange Business Park
Hedge End
Southampton
SO30 2AF
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-02-28
Last made up to: 2025-05-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-18
Last: 2025-09-04
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
MACKENZIE SMITH, Hugo Duncan Thomas Torquil→
Activedirector · ~54y · appointed 2006-09-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SECRETARIAL APPOINTMENTS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2006-09-05 · resigned 2006-09-20
TRETHOWANS SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2006-09-05 · resigned 2016-03-24
SCHWARZENBACH, Guy→
Resigneddirector · ~44y · appointed 2007-05-30 · resigned 2014-04-15
CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2006-09-05 · resigned 2006-09-20
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 05/10/2021 | 17/01/2024 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee & debenture | 1 property | 11/02/2011 | 17/01/2024 |
Recent filings (114 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-02-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-03-06
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-06
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2024-03-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-03-09
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-03-07
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-03-07
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2024-02-19
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2024-02-19
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-02-18
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2024-02-16
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-02-12
capital-alter-shares-redemption-statement-of-capital
capital · SH02
2024-02-07
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-02-06