D.F. WISHART (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC015030 · ltd · incorporated 1928-04-02
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of head offices
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 72-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (73/100, director aged 72). 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 (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 46.2y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 46.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (60/100)

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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
12 officers (4 active, 12 linked, 8 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
12 connected companies via shared directors
81
Filing history
125 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
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

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 (38 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-08-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-04-21
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  3. 2024-07-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  4. 2023-06-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  5. 2022-06-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-04-11
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  7. 2022-04-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Kenneth Wishart Paterson Brown, as Trustee of the Picardy Trust Retirement Benefits Scheme
  8. 2021-08-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  9. 2021-01-12
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  10. 2021-01-12
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  11. 2021-01-01
    ➕
    MORRIS, Fraser John appointed
    secretary
  12. 2021-01-01
    ➖
    LAW, Robert Reid resigned
    secretary
  13. 2020-10-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  14. 2019-06-13
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  15. 2018-06-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  16. 2017-08-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  17. 2016-11-02
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  18. 2016-11-01
    ➕
    PATERSON-BROWN, Christopher Barclay appointed
    director
  19. 2016-07-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  20. 2014-05-27
    ➖
    PATERSON-BROWN, Keith Wishart resigned
    director
  21. 2013-12-16
    ➖
    WISHART, Kathrine Gail resigned
    director
  22. 2013-12-16
    ➖
    WISHART, Nicola Claire resigned
    director
  23. 2013-11-12
    ➕
    PATERSON-BROWN, Ian John appointed
    director
  24. 2012-06-15
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  25. 2011-06-24
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  26. 2007-06-29
    ➕
    LAW, Robert Reid appointed
    secretary
  27. 2007-06-29
    ➖
    WISHART, George Brian Hood resigned
    secretary
  28. 2007-06-29
    ➖
    WISHART, George Brian Hood resigned
    director
  29. 2002-11-21
    ➕
    WISHART, Kathrine Gail appointed
    director
  30. 2001-12-27
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The City of Edinburgh Council
  31. 1998-01-01
    ➕
    WISHART, Nicola Claire appointed
    director
  32. 1997-07-30
    ➕
    WISHART, George Brian Hood appointed
    secretary
  33. 1997-06-30
    ➖
    WISHART, David Fraser resigned
    secretary
  34. 1997-06-30
    ➖
    WISHART, David Fraser resigned
    director
  35. 1990-12-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  36. 1980-05-27
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  37. 1980-02-27
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  38. 1928-04-02
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As D.F. WISHART (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

Owner dependency

73/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.

FACTORS
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 72 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

83/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 72 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 12 years.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 98 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 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

Dfw 1928 Ltd is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Dfw 1928 Ltd
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
D.F. WISHART (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
This company · SC015030

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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Dfw 1928 Ltd
Corporate entity
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016

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 →

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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
Incorporated1928-04-02
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC70100 — Activities of head offices

Registered office

27 Main Street
Davidsons Mains
Edinburgh
EH4 5BZ
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-11
Last: 2025-08-28

Officers (4 active · 8 resigned)

MORRIS, Fraser John→
secretary · appointed 2021-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
PATERSON-BROWN, Christopher Barclay→
director · ~41y · appointed 2016-11-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
PATERSON-BROWN, Ian John→
director · ~72y · appointed 2013-11-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
PATERSON-BROWN, Kenneth Wishart→
director · ~70y
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
LAW, Robert Reid→
secretary · appointed 2007-06-29 · resigned 2021-01-01
Resigned
WISHART, David Fraser→
secretary · resigned 1997-06-30
Resigned
WISHART, George Brian Hood→
secretary · appointed 1997-07-30 · resigned 2007-06-29
Resigned
PATERSON-BROWN, Keith Wishart→
director · ~98y · resigned 2014-05-27
Resigned
WISHART, David Fraser→
director · ~95y · resigned 1997-06-30
Resigned
WISHART, George Brian Hood→
director · ~88y · resigned 2007-06-29
Resigned
WISHART, Kathrine Gail→
director · ~63y · appointed 2002-11-21 · resigned 2013-12-16
Resigned
WISHART, Nicola Claire→
director · ~65y · appointed 1998-01-01 · resigned 2013-12-16
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Kenneth Wishart Paterson Brown, as Trustee of the Picardy Trust Retirement Benefits Scheme / St Cross Trustees , as Trustee of the Picardy Trust Retirement Benefits Scheme
Kenneth Wishart Paterson Brown, as Trustee of the Picardy Trust Retirement Benefits Scheme / St Cross Trustees Limited, as Trustee of the Picardy Trust Retirement Benefits Scheme
A registered charge1 property08/04/2022—
satisfied
The City of Edinburgh Council
Standard security1 property27/12/200115/06/2012
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property27/05/198024/06/2011
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Bond & floating charge1 property27/02/198003/12/1990
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (125 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2025-08-28
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-04-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2024-07-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-06-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2022-06-23
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-04-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2021-08-12
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2021-01-12
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2021-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2020-10-01