BERNARD HUNTER LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC202420 · ltd · incorporated 1999-12-16
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£2.22M
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other specialised construction activities n.e.c.
Sector: Construction
Investor take
Pursue
Asset-holding vehicle with a 71-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 71). 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

6 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 25.9y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 25.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: high (81/100)

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

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
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 4 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
3 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
6 connected companies via shared directors
63
Filing history
99 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
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102
Positive net assets
Net assets £2,218,172

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£214k
Net Worth
£2.2m
Current Assets
£1.2m
Current Liabilities
—
£0£444k£887k£1.3m£1.8m£2.2mMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets£5.09M—
Current assets£1.16M—
Cash£213.6k—
Debtors£845.6k—
Net assets£2.22M—
Average employees—2000

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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-11-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-03-20
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  4. 2024-03-20
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #6
  5. 2023-10-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-12-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-10-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-09-14
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  9. 2021-03-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2021-01-12
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  11. 2021-01-12
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  12. 2020-03-30
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  13. 2020-01-01
    ➖
    ADDLESHAW GODDARD (SCOTLAND) SECRETARIAL LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  14. 2019-10-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2019-07-11
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  16. 2019-07-03
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: @Ssas (Pension Trustees) Limited, James Rafferty, Elizabeth Sutherland Rafferty and Mark James Rafferty, All as Trustees of the Bernard Hunter Limited Directors Scheme (REF0017)
  17. 2018-10-08
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  18. 2018-10-08
    📄
    change-corporate-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH04
  19. 2018-09-30
    ➖
    PURSLOW, Ian William resigned
    director
  20. 2018-09-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2017-12-21
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  22. 2017-12-20
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  23. 2015-07-14
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: James Rafferty, Elizabeth Sutherland Rafferty, Mark James Rafferty, @Ssas (Pension Trustees) Limited
  24. 2015-04-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  25. 2015-04-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  26. 2015-04-08
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  27. 2010-08-27
    ➕
    RAFFERTY, Mark appointed
    director
  28. 2010-08-27
    ➕
    PURSLOW, Ian William appointed
    director
  29. 2010-08-11
    ➖
    HUNTER, Bernard Cuthbert resigned
    director
  30. 2002-12-12
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  31. 2001-03-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  32. 2001-03-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  33. 2001-03-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  34. 2000-06-02
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  35. 2000-01-21
    ➕
    RAFFERTY, James appointed
    director
  36. 2000-01-21
    ➕
    HUNTER, Bernard Cuthbert appointed
    director
  37. 2000-01-21
    ➖
    HENDERSON BOYD JACKSON LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  38. 1999-12-16
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As BERNARD HUNTER LIMITED
  39. 1999-12-16
    ➕
    ADDLESHAW GODDARD (SCOTLAND) SECRETARIAL LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  40. 1999-12-16
    ➕
    HENDERSON BOYD JACKSON LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

91/100
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
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 26 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 71 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

96/100
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 71 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 26 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 26 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 ·
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

3 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Mark Rafferty
Individual · British · DOB 11/1983 · age 43
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting30/06/2016
Elizabeth Rafferty
Individual · British · DOB 01/1953 · age 73
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting30/06/2016
Mr James Rafferty
Individual · British · DOB 05/1955 · age 71
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016

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 →

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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
Incorporated1999-12-16
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC43999 — Other specialised construction activities n.e.c.

Registered office

600 Gilmerton Road
Edinburgh
Midlothian
EH17 8RY

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-27
Last: 2025-12-13

Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)

RAFFERTY, James→
director · ~71y · appointed 2000-01-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
RAFFERTY, Mark→
director · ~43y · appointed 2010-08-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
ADDLESHAW GODDARD (SCOTLAND) SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 1999-12-16 · resigned 2020-01-01
Resigned
HUNTER, Bernard Cuthbert→
director · ~78y · appointed 2000-01-21 · resigned 2010-08-11
Resigned
PURSLOW, Ian William→
director · ~75y · appointed 2010-08-27 · resigned 2018-09-30
Resigned
HENDERSON BOYD JACKSON LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-12-16 · resigned 2000-01-21
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

6
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
@Ssas (Pension Trustees) , James Rafferty, Elizabeth Sutherland Rafferty and Mark James Rafferty, All as Trustees of the Bernard Hunter Directors Scheme (REF0017)
@Ssas (Pension Trustees) Limited, James Rafferty, Elizabeth Sutherland Rafferty and Mark James Rafferty, All as Trustees of the Bernard Hunter Limited Directors Scheme (REF0017)
A registered charge1 property03/07/201920/03/2024
satisfied
James Rafferty, Elizabeth Sutherland Rafferty, Mark James Rafferty, @Ssas (Pension Trustees)
James Rafferty, Elizabeth Sutherland Rafferty, Mark James Rafferty, @Ssas (Pension Trustees) Limited
A registered charge1 property14/07/201512/01/2021
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Standard security1 property22/03/200108/04/2015
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Standard security1 property22/03/200110/04/2015
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Standard security1 property22/03/200112/12/2002
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Floating charge1 property02/06/200028/04/2015

Recent filings (99 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-11-11
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-03-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-10-11
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2021-09-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-03-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-12
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2021-01-12