GRETNA HOUSE INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
SC130532 · ltd · incorporated 1991-03-13
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 99999
Sector: Extraterritorial bodies
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 34.9y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 34.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)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
75
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 3 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
84 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 | 2025-02-28 | 2024-02-25 |
|---|
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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 (28 events)Click to expand
- 2025-05-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-05📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-05-05📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-11-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-17📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-10-17📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-11-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-21➕HOUSTON, Lucy Leah appointeddirector
- 2021-06-21➖HOUSTON, Alasdair George resigneddirector
- 2021-02-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-11-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2016-11-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-04-01📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2007-04-17🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2003-05-10➕CLARK, Susan Jennifer Mackie appointedsecretary
- 2003-05-10➖HOUSTON, Robert Adair resignedsecretary
- 2003-05-10➖HOUSTON, Robert Adair resigneddirector
- 1991-05-20🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 1991-03-13🏢Company incorporatedAs GRETNA HOUSE INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED
- 1991-03-13➕HOUSTON, Robert Adair appointedsecretary
- 1991-03-13➕OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1991-03-13➖OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1991-03-13➕HOUSTON, Alasdair George appointeddirector
- 1991-03-13➕HOUSTON, Robert Adair appointeddirector
Owner dependency
83/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 60 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
65/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 60. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 35 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Lucy Leah Houston Individual · British · DOB 02/1967 · age 59 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 21/06/2021 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Alasdair George Houstonceased 21/06/2021· 75-100% voting
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Other · DG postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDINBURGH SELF STORAGE CONTAINERS LIMITED→ SC561677 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ELSRICKLE COMMUNITY HUB→ SC797279 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| FARM CARBON LTD→ SC698555 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| FARMING PARTNERS DALSWINTON LLP→ SO308086 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| FORTH MGT LLP→ SO305509 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| FORTIS SHELTERS LTD→ SC851991 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GARROCH ACM LIMITED→ SC476654 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| GILLESPIE GIFFORD & BROWN LLP→ SO301610 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| GLOBAL JET SERVICE LP→ LP022309 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| GRENDLE GROUP LP→ SL024292 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| GRETNA MUSEUM AND TOURIST SERVICES LIMITED→ SC250144 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| H & S FARMS→ SL002716 · est 1995 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 30y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1991-03-13
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC99999 — SIC 99999
Registered office
Headless Cross
Gretna Green
Dumfriesshire
DG16 5EA
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last: 2025-10-17
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
CLARK, Susan Jennifer Mackie→
Activesecretary · appointed 2003-05-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOUSTON, Lucy Leah→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2021-06-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOUSTON, Robert Adair→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1991-03-13 · resigned 2003-05-10
OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1991-03-13 · resigned 1991-03-13
HOUSTON, Alasdair George→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 1991-03-13 · resigned 2021-06-21
HOUSTON, Robert Adair→
Resigneddirector · ~101y · appointed 1991-03-13 · resigned 2003-05-10
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 20/05/1991 | 17/04/2007 |
Recent filings (84 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-05-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-11-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-11-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-26
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-05-05
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-05-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-11-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-17
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-10-17
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-10-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-11-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-30