DOWNEYS CARS (N.I.) LTD
🌳Matureactive
NI025135 · ltd · incorporated 1990-12-13
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.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2024
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
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 45112SIC 45112
- 45200SIC 45200
- 45320Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
Investor take
PursueLeverage-led grower with a 66-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 66). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 5 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
17 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 34.6y
25/100
too messy
Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 34.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 50/100 (high).
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, 4 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
17 charges (17/17 with lender, 17/17 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 2 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
53 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Profitable
Profit before tax £191,240
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 | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Profit before tax | £191.2k | — |
| Average employees | 2400 | 2300 |
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 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (44 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-05📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-07-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-16📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-01📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-12-01📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-10-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-09-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-28➕GILLILAND, Kathryn Elizabeth appointedsecretary
- 2017-07-28➖SCULLION, Paul Martin resignedsecretary
- 2017-07-28📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2017-07-28📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2017-07-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-04-03📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2016-03-09➕SCULLION, Paul Martin appointedsecretary
- 2016-03-08➖DOOHER, Catherine Rosemary resignedsecretary
- 2013-01-01➕DOOHER, Catherine Rosemary appointedsecretary
- 2013-01-01➖MCDONALD, Donald Courtney resignedsecretary
- 2011-05-09🔒Charge registered #17Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-06-01🔒Charge registered #15Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-06-01🔒Charge registered #13Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-31🔒Charge registered #14Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #12Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #11Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #10Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #9Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #8Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #7Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #6Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #5Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2006-05-15🔒Charge registered #4Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2005-08-10🔒Charge registered #3Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 2004-09-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Slough Berkshire
- 2001-10-18➖MCCULLA, Daphne F resigneddirector
- 1996-05-22🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Bank of Ireland
- 1991-10-10🔒Charge registered #16Lender: The Governor & Company of the Bank of Ireland
- 1990-12-13🏢Company incorporatedAs DOWNEYS CARS (N.I.) LTD
- 1990-12-13➕MCCULLA, David Andrew John appointeddirector
- 1990-12-13➕MCDONALD, Donald Courtney appointedsecretary
- 1990-12-13➕MCCULLA, Daphne F 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 35 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 66 — 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 66. 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 35 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 35 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 low17 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David Andrew John Mcculla Individual · British · DOB 01/1960 · age 66 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
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 · Automotive · BT postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-B TRUCK AND VAN (NI) LIMITED→ NI020402 · est 1987 | £9.50M £7.60M–£11.40M | £48.66M | — | 12700 | 39y | 85 | 64y |
| ROAD TRUCKS LIMITED→ NI010084 · est 1974 | £5.42M £4.34M–£6.50M | — | — | 59 | 52y | 83 | 54y |
| PRENTICE PORTADOWN LIMITED→ NI626334 · est 2014 | £4.59M £3.67M–£5.51M | £47.61M | — | 7500 | 11y | 85 | 62y |
| PHILLIPS (LISBURN) LIMITED→ NI020891 · est 1987 | £4.02M £3.22M–£4.83M | £27.87M | — | 3200 | 38y | 87 | 72y |
| MERVYN STEWART LIMITED→ NI005804 · est 1963 | £2.96M £2.37M–£3.55M | — | — | 85 | 62y | 83 | 62y |
| J.K.C.SPECIALIST CARS LIMITED→ NI013216 · est 1978 | £2.51M £2.01M–£3.02M | — | — | 89 | 47y | 84 | 84y |
| THOMPSON LEISURE LIMITED→ NI609785 · est 2011 | £1.39M £1.11M–£1.66M | £23.67M | — | 3900 | 14y | 84 | 64y |
| JF CAR SALES LIMITED→ NI624551 · est 2014 | £817.2k £653.8k–£980.7k | £3.14M | — | 500 | 12y | 84 | 68y |
| ROADSIDE (GARAGES) LIMITED→ NI019543 · est 1986 | £509.6k £407.7k–£611.6k | — | — | 23 | 39y | 85 | 61y |
| CURTIS DEVELOPMENTS LTD.→ NI030918 · est 1996 | £324.8k £259.9k–£389.8k | — | — | 25 | 29y | 84 | 70y |
| HOWARD ABRAHAM (MOTORS) LIMITED→ NI004747 · est 1960 | £32.3k £25.8k–£38.7k | — | — | 25 | 65y | 87 | 78y |
| LISBURN AUTO SALVAGE LIMITED→ NI603743 · est 2010 | — | — | — | 2400 | 15y | 85 | 64y |
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
Incorporated1990-12-13
Jurisdictionnorthern-ireland
Primary SIC45111 — Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Registered office
39 Portaferry Road
Newtownards
BT23 8NN
Northern Ireland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-15
Last: 2025-12-01
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
GILLILAND, Kathryn Elizabeth→
Activesecretary · appointed 2017-07-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MCCULLA, David Andrew John→
Activedirector · ~66y · appointed 1990-12-13
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DOOHER, Catherine Rosemary→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2013-01-01 · resigned 2016-03-08
MCDONALD, Donald Courtney→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1990-12-13 · resigned 2013-01-01
SCULLION, Paul Martin→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2016-03-09 · resigned 2017-07-28
MCCULLA, Daphne F→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 1990-12-13 · resigned 2001-10-18
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
17
Total charges
17
Outstanding
4
Active lenders
Status:Lender:17 of 17 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Legal charge | 1 property | 09/05/2011 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 01/06/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 01/06/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 31/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 15/05/2006 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 10/08/2005 | — | |
| outstanding | Slough Berkshire / Honda Finance Europe | Mortgage or charge | 2 properties | 08/09/2004 | — | |
| outstanding | Bank of Ireland | Mortgage or charge | 1 property | 22/05/1996 | — | |
| outstanding | The Governor & Company of the Bank of Ireland | Debenture | 1 property | 10/10/1991 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (53 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2024-07-10
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-06-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-07-04
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-03-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2022-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-01
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-12-01
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-12-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-12-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2021-10-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-11