RICHARD LAWSON (AUTOECOSSE) LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC173818 · ltd · incorporated 1997-03-25
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 Sept 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 45112SIC 45112
  • 45200SIC 45200
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 78-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 78). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 20.8y

15/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 20.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: high (81/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

Company profile
address, 3 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
12 officers (1 active, 12 linked, 4 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
123 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
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
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Sept 2023Sept 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2024-09-302023-09-30
Average employees182100

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

3 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

Last 30 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (44 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-09-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-10-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-06-06
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  4. 2023-11-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2022-10-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2021-09-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-01-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-01-22
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  9. 2020-12-09
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  10. 2020-12-01
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  11. 2020-04-23
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  12. 2019-06-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2019-04-16
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
    accounts · AA01
  14. 2018-05-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2018-05-25
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  16. 2018-04-06
    📄
    capital-allotment-shares
    capital · SH01
  17. 2016-04-27
    ➖
    HANCOCK, Timothy resigned
    director
  18. 2014-11-30
    ➖
    RITCHIE, Timothy resigned
    secretary
  19. 2014-07-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  20. 2013-07-15
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  21. 2013-03-26
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Bibby Factors Scotland Limited
  22. 2013-03-21
    ➖
    FINDLAY, Harvie Leigh resigned
    secretary
  23. 2013-03-21
    ➕
    RITCHIE, Timothy appointed
    secretary
  24. 2011-06-20
    ➖
    LAWSON, Richard Fraser resigned
    director
  25. 2009-12-15
    ➕
    FINDLAY, Harvie Leigh appointed
    secretary
  26. 2009-12-14
    ➖
    HILL, Ewan resigned
    secretary
  27. 2009-02-02
    ➕
    HANCOCK, Timothy appointed
    director
  28. 2007-06-27
    ➕
    HILL, Ewan appointed
    secretary
  29. 2007-06-01
    ➖
    CCW SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  30. 2005-07-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  31. 2002-05-28
    ➖
    LAWSON, Richard Fraser resigned
    secretary
  32. 2002-05-28
    ➖
    STEEL, Andrew resigned
    secretary
  33. 2002-05-24
    ➕
    CCW SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  34. 2001-03-20
    ➕
    LAWSON, Richard Fraser appointed
    secretary
  35. 2001-03-20
    ➕
    LAWSON, Richard Fraser appointed
    director
  36. 1999-12-28
    ➖
    COWIE, John Michael resigned
    secretary
  37. 1999-12-28
    ➕
    STEEL, Andrew appointed
    secretary
  38. 1997-07-02
    ➕
    LAWSON, Richard Herring appointed
    director
  39. 1997-07-02
    ➕
    COWIE, John Michael appointed
    secretary
  40. 1997-07-02
    ➖
    PAGAN MACBETH resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  41. 1997-07-02
    ➖
    CLARKE, John Bernard resigned
    nominee-director
  42. 1997-03-25
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As RICHARD LAWSON (AUTOECOSSE) LIMITED
  43. 1997-03-25
    ➕
    PAGAN MACBETH appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  44. 1997-03-25
    ➕
    CLARKE, John Bernard appointed
    nominee-director

Owner dependency

100/100
Critical — business is the founder

The 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.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "LAWSON" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 78 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

100/100
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 78 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 29 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 29 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

clean
No 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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Richard Herring Lawson
Individual · British · DOB 04/1948 · age 78
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 →

Similar companies

Active · Automotive · PH postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
DOUGLAS CAMERON (PERTH) LIMITED→
SC100636 · est 1986
£4.61M
£3.69M–£5.53M
——5739y8581y
CAMERON MOTORS (PERTH) LIMITED→
SC057921 · est 1975
£1.74M
£1.39M–£2.09M
——6250y8481y
IAN H. CAMERON LIMITED→
SC035342 · est 1960
£1.73M
£1.38M–£2.07M
——4465y8581y
PERTHSHIRE CARAVANS LIMITED→
SC057390 · est 1975
£701.8k
£561.4k–£842.2k
——7551y8589y
ACTIVE SERVICE LIMITED→
SC300374 · est 2006
———720y8270y
CALLISTO GOLF EQUIPMENT LIMITED→
SC192559 · est 1999 · no financials extracted
————27y8278y
CURTIS MOTORS CUPAR LIMITED→
SC294891 · est 2005
———420y8262y
DRYSDALE MOTORCYCLES LIMITED→
SC232460 · est 2002
———723y8259y
GORDON MOTORS (CRIEFF) LIMITED→
SC335313 · est 2007
———90018y8270y
L & M RATTRAY LTD→
SC289928 · est 2005
———1220y8265y
LOCHSIDE GARAGE (BALLACHULISH) LTD.→
SC259682 · est 2003
——£22.9k—22y8260y
MOVING METAL LTD→
SC876363 · est 2026 · no financials extracted
———————
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

Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1997-03-25
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC45111 — Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles

Registered office

Richard Lawson (Autoecosse) Limited High Street
Burrelton
Perthshire
PH13 9NX
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-06-30
Last made up to: 2024-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-08
Last: 2026-03-25

Officers (1 active · 11 resigned)

LAWSON, Richard Herring→
director · ~78y · appointed 1997-07-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COWIE, John Michael→
secretary · appointed 1997-07-02 · resigned 1999-12-28
Resigned
FINDLAY, Harvie Leigh→
secretary · appointed 2009-12-15 · resigned 2013-03-21
Resigned
HILL, Ewan→
secretary · appointed 2007-06-27 · resigned 2009-12-14
Resigned
LAWSON, Richard Fraser→
secretary · appointed 2001-03-20 · resigned 2002-05-28
Resigned
RITCHIE, Timothy→
secretary · appointed 2013-03-21 · resigned 2014-11-30
Resigned
STEEL, Andrew→
secretary · appointed 1999-12-28 · resigned 2002-05-28
Resigned
CCW SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2002-05-24 · resigned 2007-06-01
Resigned
PAGAN MACBETH→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1997-03-25 · resigned 1997-07-02
Resigned
CLARKE, John Bernard→
nominee-director · ~71y · appointed 1997-03-25 · resigned 1997-07-02
Resigned
HANCOCK, Timothy→
director · ~46y · appointed 2009-02-02 · resigned 2016-04-27
Resigned
LAWSON, Richard Fraser→
director · ~53y · appointed 2001-03-20 · resigned 2011-06-20
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
A registered charge—20/07/2014—
satisfied
Bibby Financial Services
Bibby Factors Scotland Limited
Floating charge1 property26/03/201315/07/2013
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Floating charge1 property13/07/2005—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (123 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-08
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-31
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-06-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-11-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-10-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-05-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-01-25
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2021-01-22
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2020-12-09