OPTICAL EXPRESS (GYLE) LIMITED
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 58). 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: strategic trade sale (78/100).
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 31.9y
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 31.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: high (83/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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 →Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-12-28 | 2023-12-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover | — | £16.66M |
| Gross profit | — | £13.87M |
| Operating profit | — | £4.02M |
| Profit before tax | £3.53M | £4.00M |
| Average employees | 8300 | 7000 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Corporate timeline (38 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-09-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-30📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-10-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-07📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2021-10-04🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2021-09-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2021-06-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2021-06-24🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2021-06-24🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2020-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-02-17📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2020-02-17📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2020-02-06➕HANNAN, Stephen James, Dr appointeddirector
- 2020-02-06➖FINLAYSON, June resigneddirector
- 2019-10-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-10-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-07-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2009-06-11🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2008-05-29➕MEIN, Stewart appointeddirector
- 2008-05-29➕FINLAYSON, June appointeddirector
- 2007-05-10🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2007-05-04🔒Charge registered #5Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2000-11-06🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2000-11-06🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2000-10-31🔒Charge registered #4Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 1996-03-28🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
- 1994-06-23🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 1994-04-22🏢Company incorporatedAs OPTICAL EXPRESS (GYLE) LIMITED
- 1994-04-22➕MURDOCH, Graeme Ramsay appointedsecretary
- 1994-04-22➕MOULSDALE, David Charles appointeddirector
- 1994-04-22➕COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1994-04-22➖COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1994-04-22➕COMBINED NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1994-04-22➖COMBINED NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 32 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 32 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 32 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 ·Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
Lorena Investments Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lorena Investments Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
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6 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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (4 active · 3 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 04/10/2021 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 11/06/2009 | 24/06/2021 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 04/05/2007 | 24/06/2021 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Floating charge | 1 property | 31/10/2000 | 10/05/2007 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Floating charge | 1 property | 28/03/1996 | 06/11/2000 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 23/06/1994 | 06/11/2000 |