A B A SERVICES

⚰️Wound downdissolved
SC163449 · private-limited-guarant-nsc-limited-exemption · incorporated 1996-02-16
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Sept 2023
Net worth
£-960
book net assets
Opportunity
64/100
Worth a look
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed unclear — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 64/100 (worth a look), bankability 70/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Company dissolved. Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (70/100)

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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
12 officers (5 active, 12 linked, 7 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
84 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
64/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.

Business quality
30
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Negative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £960

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
-£960
↓ 14% YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
-£960-£936-£912-£888-£864-£840Sept 2022Sept 2023

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Metric2023-09-302022-09-30
Total assets£-960£-840
Net assets£-960£-840

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
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. 2025-01-14
    📄
    gazette-dissolved-voluntary
    gazette · GAZ2(A)
  2. 2025-01-14
    🏁
    Company dissolved
  3. 2024-10-29
    📄
    gazette-notice-voluntary
    gazette · GAZ1(A)
  4. 2024-10-22
    📄
    dissolution-application-strike-off-company
    dissolution · DS01
  5. 2024-05-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  6. 2023-04-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-06-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-04-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  9. 2020-05-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  10. 2019-06-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  11. 2018-06-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  12. 2017-06-07
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  13. 2016-09-06
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-no-member-list
    annual-return · AR01
  14. 2016-09-06
    📄
    dissolution-withdrawal-application-strike-off-company
    dissolution · DS02
  15. 2016-04-19
    📄
    dissolution-voluntary-strike-off-suspended
    dissolution · SOAS(A)
  16. 2016-02-23
    📄
    gazette-notice-voluntary
    gazette · GAZ1(A)
  17. 2016-02-15
    📄
    dissolution-application-strike-off-company
    dissolution · DS01
  18. 2015-12-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  19. 2014-05-06
    ➖
    BURGESS, John Moncrieff resigned
    director
  20. 2007-07-25
    ➕
    ABERNETHY, Diana Jane appointed
    director
  21. 2001-12-12
    ➖
    CHRISTIE, Maureen resigned
    director
  22. 2001-08-23
    ➕
    MATHEWSON, Alice appointed
    secretary
  23. 2001-08-22
    ➖
    CHRISTIE, Maureen resigned
    secretary
  24. 1999-12-16
    ➕
    MATHEWSON, Alice appointed
    director
  25. 1998-06-10
    ➕
    FOGG, Susan Elizabeth appointed
    director
  26. 1996-10-30
    ➖
    FOGG, Susan Elizabeth resigned
    director
  27. 1996-02-16
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As A B A SERVICES
  28. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    BLACKADDER, Andrew appointed
    director
  29. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    CHRISTIE, Maureen appointed
    secretary
  30. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  31. 1996-02-16
    ➖
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  32. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    BURGESS, John Moncrieff appointed
    director
  33. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    CHRISTIE, Maureen appointed
    director
  34. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    FOGG, Susan Elizabeth appointed
    director
  35. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  36. 1996-02-16
    ➖
    JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  37. 1996-02-16
    ➕
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED appointed
    corporate-director
  38. 1996-02-16
    ➖
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED resigned
    corporate-director

Owner dependency

65/100
High — earn-out structure required

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

FACTORS
  • -4 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 30 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 82 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

90/100
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 82 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 30 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 30 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 high ·
Company dissolved
high

Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.

Evidence: Dissolved on 2025-01-14

🔒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

8 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

Statusdissolved
Typeprivate-limited-guarant-nsc-limited-exemption
Incorporated1996-02-16
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC74909 — Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.

Registered office

Kirk Business Centre
Castle Road
Scalloway
Shetland
ZE1 0TF

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2023-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: 2024-02-16

Officers (0 active · 7 resigned)

MATHEWSON, Alice→
secretary · appointed 2001-08-23
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
ABERNETHY, Diana Jane→
director · ~46y · appointed 2007-07-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BLACKADDER, Andrew→
director · ~79y · appointed 1996-02-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
FOGG, Susan Elizabeth→
director · ~82y · appointed 1998-06-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MATHEWSON, Alice→
director · ~56y · appointed 1999-12-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CHRISTIE, Maureen→
secretary · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 2001-08-22
Resigned
OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 1996-02-16
Resigned
BURGESS, John Moncrieff→
director · ~90y · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 2014-05-06
Resigned
CHRISTIE, Maureen→
director · ~88y · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 2001-12-12
Resigned
FOGG, Susan Elizabeth→
director · ~82y · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 1996-10-30
Resigned
JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 1996-02-16
Resigned
OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED→
corporate-director · appointed 1996-02-16 · resigned 1996-02-16
Resigned

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

Recent filings (84 total)

gazette-dissolved-voluntary
gazette · GAZ2(A)
2025-01-14
gazette-notice-voluntary
gazette · GAZ1(A)
2024-10-29
dissolution-application-strike-off-company
dissolution · DS01
2024-10-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-05-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-04-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-06-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-04-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-04-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-04-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2020-05-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-03-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2019-06-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-03-19