GRAMPIAN BRANDS LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
SC171139 · ltd · incorporated 1996-12-31
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
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of head offices
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 64). 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).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (58/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
13 officers (2 active, 13 linked, 6 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
88 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 (40 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-07📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2024-02-07📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2024-02-07📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-02-07📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-02-02➕STRACHAN, Lucy Jill appointedsecretary
- 2024-02-02➖STEWART, Charles Roderick resignedsecretary
- 2023-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-19📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-04-19📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2021-10-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2017-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2005-11-01➕STEWART, Charles Roderick appointedsecretary
- 2005-10-31➖DOUGLAS, John David resignedsecretary
- 2005-10-31➖DOUGLAS, John David resigneddirector
- 2003-05-01➕PALMER, Alan Charles appointeddirector
- 2003-05-01➖MCGILL, Michael Scott resigneddirector
- 2001-12-31➖MCGIBBON, David Campbell resigneddirector
- 2001-12-31➕MCGILL, Michael Scott appointeddirector
- 1999-11-15➕DOUGLAS, John David appointedsecretary
- 1999-11-15➖FERRIE, David Francis resignedsecretary
- 1999-11-15➕DOUGLAS, John David appointeddirector
- 1999-11-15➖ELLIOT, John Johnstone resigneddirector
- 1999-11-15➖STEVENSON, David Deas resigneddirector
- 1997-03-19➕FERRIE, David Francis appointedsecretary
- 1997-03-19➖MACLAY MURRAY & SPENS LLP resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-03-19➕ELLIOT, John Johnstone appointeddirector
- 1997-03-19➕MCGIBBON, David Campbell appointeddirector
- 1997-03-19➕STEVENSON, David Deas appointeddirector
- 1997-03-19➖VINDEX LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1997-03-19➖VINDEX SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1996-12-31🏢Company incorporatedAs GRAMPIAN BRANDS LIMITED
- 1996-12-31➕MACLAY MURRAY & SPENS LLP appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1996-12-31➕VINDEX LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1996-12-31➕VINDEX SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
93/100
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 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
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 64. 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 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Malcolm Properties Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Malcolm Properties Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
GRAMPIAN BRANDS LIMITED
This company · SC171139
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Malcolm Properties Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 02/02/2024 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Charles Roderick Stewartceased 02/02/2024· significant influence
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 · Professional services · PA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLEARVIEW MINDS LTD→ SC545854 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| CLYDE PORPOISE CIC→ SC560366 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| DEEP RIVER (ENGINEERING) LIMITED→ SC155149 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| DIRECT SCIENCE & INNOVATION LTD→ SC600986 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| DMD MARINE SERVICES LTD→ SC811024 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| DOGGY DAY DREAMZ LTD→ SC770101 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| DONN SHELDON ENTERPRISES LIMITED→ SC288284 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| DONN SHELDON MANAGEMENT LTD→ SC626744 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| DUNBAR BROWN GROUP LTD→ SC761164 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| DUNMEL PLANT HIRE LTD.→ SC494967 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| DWS ASSOCIATES LIMITED→ SC631474 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| DYN ELECTRICAL SERVICES LTD→ SC741763 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1996-12-31
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC70100 — Activities of head offices
Registered office
Brookfield House
2 Burnbrae Drive
Linwood
Renfrewshire,
PA3 3BU
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-09
Last: 2025-11-25
Officers (2 active · 11 resigned)
STRACHAN, Lucy Jill→
Activesecretary · appointed 2024-02-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PALMER, Alan Charles→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2003-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DOUGLAS, John David→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-11-15 · resigned 2005-10-31
FERRIE, David Francis→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1997-03-19 · resigned 1999-11-15
STEWART, Charles Roderick→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-11-01 · resigned 2024-02-02
MACLAY MURRAY & SPENS LLP→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-12-31 · resigned 1997-03-19
DOUGLAS, John David→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · appointed 1999-11-15 · resigned 2005-10-31
ELLIOT, John Johnstone→
Resigneddirector · ~79y · appointed 1997-03-19 · resigned 1999-11-15
MCGIBBON, David Campbell→
Resigneddirector · ~79y · appointed 1997-03-19 · resigned 2001-12-31
MCGILL, Michael Scott→
Resigneddirector · ~58y · appointed 2001-12-31 · resigned 2003-05-01
STEVENSON, David Deas→
Resigneddirector · ~85y · appointed 1997-03-19 · resigned 1999-11-15
VINDEX LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-12-31 · resigned 1997-03-19
VINDEX SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-12-31 · resigned 1997-03-19
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (88 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-10-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-10-01
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2024-02-07
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2024-02-07
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-02-07
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-02-07
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-10-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-10-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-04-19
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2022-04-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-06