DARLINGTON ARENA LIMITED

💤Zombieactive

07663383 · ltd · incorporated 2011-06-09

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

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What this business does

Primary activity: Other sports activities

Sector: Arts, entertainment & recreation

Investor take

Pursue

Active trading company with a 67-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, 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

12 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 10.3y

15/100

under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

· Oldest live charge is 10.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
· 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
· 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

Lenders & charges

12 charges (12/12 with lender, 12/12 with type)

Directors & officers

9 officers (1 active, 9 linked, 9 with DOB)

Ownership & PSC

1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared

Director network

Network not yet resolved

Filing history

81 filings on record

Gazette notices

No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)

Opportunity Score

77/100Strong

PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality

Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.

Acquirability

Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.

Risk profile

Few red flags.

Signal strength

100

Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts

Cash

—

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	2025-05-31	2024-05-31

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

filing

• 1 confirmation-statement

Last 90 days

filing

• 1 confirmation-statement

Last 180 days

filings

• 1 confirmation-statement
• 1 accounts

Counts from Companies House filing history.

Corporate timeline (56 events)Click to expand

2026-02-27
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-05-31
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-30
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-05-29
➕
ROBINSON, Kevin appointed
director
2024-05-29
➖
QUINN, Gerald Peter resigned
director
2024-05-29
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-05-29
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-03-06
➖
BIRCH, Michael resigned
director
2024-03-06
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-02-28
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-05-31
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-05-18
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-06-14
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-05-31
➕
QUINN, Gerald Peter appointed
director
2021-03-29
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-11-30
📄
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2020-11-12
🔒
Charge registered #12
Lender: Sw Centre Property Limited
2020-11-02
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2020-10-31
➖
RUST, Lee Trevor resigned
director
2020-06-18
📄
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2020-06-18
📄
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2020-06-18
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2020-06-18
📄
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2020-06-18
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2020-06-18
🔓
Charge satisfied #8
2020-06-18
🔓
Charge satisfied #7
2020-06-16
🔒
Charge registered #11
Lender: Sw Centre Property Limited
2020-06-16
🔒
Charge registered #10
Lender: Sw Centre Property Limited
2020-06-16
🔒
Charge registered #9
Lender: Sw Centre Property Limited
2019-04-03
🔓
Charge satisfied #6
2019-04-03
🔓
Charge satisfied #5
2019-04-03
🔓
Charge satisfied #4
2019-03-27
🔒
Charge registered #8
Lender: Hargreaves Darlington Limited
2019-03-27
🔒
Charge registered #7
Lender: Darlington Borough Council
2018-01-18
🔒
Charge registered #6
Lender: Darlington Borough Council
2018-01-18
🔒
Charge registered #5
Lender: Sw Centre Property Limited
2018-01-18
🔒
Charge registered #4
Lender: Sw Centre Property Limited
2017-04-12
➕
BIRCH, Michael appointed
director
2017-04-12
➖
KEELIGAN, Michael John resigned
director
2017-04-12
🔓
Charge satisfied #3
2017-04-12
🔓
Charge satisfied #2
2016-12-03
🔓
Charge satisfied #1
2016-11-25
🔒
Charge registered #3
Lender: Preston Cherry LLP
2016-11-25
🔒
Charge registered #2
Lender: Preston Cherry LLP
2016-07-27
➕
RUST, Lee Trevor appointed
director
2016-05-05
➖
OUTHWAITE, Derek resigned
director
2016-02-29
🔒
Charge registered #1
Lender: Preston Cherry LLP
2013-10-25
➖
LIDDLE, David resigned
director
2012-12-06
➕
KEELIGAN, Michael John appointed
director
2012-12-06
➕
LIDDLE, David appointed
director

Showing most recent 50 of 56 events

Owner dependency

90/100

Critical — business is the founder

The 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.
+Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

65/100

Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

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.

Red flags

1 med ·

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern

medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Group structure

Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Football Club Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️

Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Football Club Limited

Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares

ultimate parent

⬇

DARLINGTON ARENA LIMITED

This company · 07663383

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%

Name	Shares	Voting rights	Nature of control	Notified
Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Football Club Limited Corporate entity	75–100%	—	75-100% shares	09/06/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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DARLINGTON 24/7 LIMITED→ 10006545 · est 2016 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	10y	—	—
DARLINGTON COMMUNITY CARNIVAL→ 07917763 · est 2012 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	14y	—	—
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →

🔒Tailored diligence questions

9 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

Incorporated2011-06-09

Jurisdictionengland-wales

Primary SIC93199 — Other sports activities

Registered office

Northern Echo Arena

Neasham Road

Darlington

DL2 1DL

Filing status

Accounts

Next due: 2027-02-28

Last made up to: 2025-05-31

Confirmation statement

Next due: 2027-06-23

Last: 2026-06-09

Officers (1 active · 8 resigned)

ROBINSON, Kevin→

director · ~67y · appointed 2024-05-29

View their other companies + combined net worth →

Active

BIRCH, Michael→

director · ~62y · appointed 2017-04-12 · resigned 2024-03-06

Resigned

KEELIGAN, Michael John→

director · ~76y · appointed 2012-12-06 · resigned 2017-04-12

Resigned

LIDDLE, David→

director · ~64y · appointed 2012-12-06 · resigned 2013-10-25

Resigned

OUTHWAITE, Derek→

director · ~77y · appointed 2012-12-06 · resigned 2016-05-05

Resigned

QUINN, Gerald Peter→

director · ~67y · appointed 2021-05-31 · resigned 2024-05-29

Resigned

RUST, Lee Trevor→

director · ~46y · appointed 2016-07-27 · resigned 2020-10-31

Resigned

SCOTT, Philip Henry→

director · ~62y · appointed 2011-06-09 · resigned 2012-12-06

Resigned

SIZER, Graham Kevin→

director · ~57y · appointed 2011-06-09 · resigned 2012-12-06

Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

Total charges

Outstanding

Active lenders

Status:Lender:12 of 12 shown

		Type	Properties
outstanding	Sw Centre Property Sw Centre Property Limited	A registered charge	1 property	12/11/2020	—
outstanding	Sw Centre Property Sw Centre Property Limited	A registered charge	1 property	16/06/2020	—
outstanding	Sw Centre Property Sw Centre Property Limited	A registered charge	1 property	16/06/2020	—
outstanding	Sw Centre Property Sw Centre Property Limited	A registered charge	—	16/06/2020	—
satisfied	Hargreaves Darlington Hargreaves Darlington Limited	A registered charge	1 property	27/03/2019	18/06/2020
satisfied	Darlington Borough Council	A registered charge	1 property	27/03/2019	18/06/2020
satisfied	Darlington Borough Council	A registered charge	1 property	18/01/2018	03/04/2019
satisfied	Sw Centre Property Sw Centre Property Limited	A registered charge	1 property	18/01/2018	03/04/2019
satisfied	Sw Centre Property Sw Centre Property Limited	A registered charge	1 property	18/01/2018	03/04/2019
satisfied	Preston Cherry Preston Cherry LLP	A registered charge	1 property	25/11/2016	12/04/2017
satisfied	Preston Cherry Preston Cherry LLP	A registered charge	1 property	25/11/2016	12/04/2017
satisfied	Preston Cherry Preston Cherry LLP	A registered charge	1 property	29/02/2016	03/12/2016

Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (81 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2026-06-23

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2026-02-27

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2025-06-13

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full

accounts · AA

2025-05-31

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2024-06-10

change-person-director-company-with-change-date

officers · CH01

2024-05-30

termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date

officers · TM01

2024-05-29

appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date

officers · AP01

2024-05-29

termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date

officers · TM01

2024-03-06

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full

accounts · AA

2024-02-28

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2023-06-16

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full

accounts · AA

2023-05-31

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2022-06-17

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full

accounts · AA

2022-05-18

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2021-06-21