GR8 DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC225278 · ltd · incorporated 2001-11-14
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 Dec 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Specialised cleaning services
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 65). 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 12.8y

15/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 12.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (71/100)

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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 3 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
79 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.

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2024-12-31
Average employees4000

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 (33 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-02-20
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  3. 2025-01-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2023-12-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2023-05-03
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  6. 2023-04-28
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  7. 2023-04-28
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  8. 2023-04-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Bibby Invoice Discounting Limited (As Security Trustee)
  9. 2023-04-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  10. 2023-04-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  11. 2022-11-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2021-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2021-08-04
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  14. 2021-08-02
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  15. 2021-07-31
    ➖
    BARROWMAN, Craig Boyd resigned
    director
  16. 2020-09-03
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2020-05-28
    📄
    mortgage-alter-floating-charge-with-number
    mortgage · 466(Scot)
  18. 2020-05-22
    📄
    mortgage-alter-floating-charge-with-number
    mortgage · 466(Scot)
  19. 2019-09-26
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  20. 2019-09-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance LTD
  21. 2019-07-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  22. 2019-03-25
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  23. 2019-03-25
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  24. 2016-04-06
    ➖
    PURPLE VENTURE SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  25. 2015-03-02
    ➕
    BARROWMAN, Craig Boyd appointed
    director
  26. 2013-07-15
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  27. 2010-04-05
    ➖
    LAW, Simon Paul resigned
    director
  28. 2006-02-20
    ➕
    LAW, Simon Paul appointed
    director
  29. 2003-11-18
    ➕
    RIDDELL, Gordon appointed
    director
  30. 2003-11-18
    ➖
    PURPLE VENTURE INCORPORATION LIMITED resigned
    corporate-director
  31. 2001-11-14
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As GR8 DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED
  32. 2001-11-14
    ➕
    PURPLE VENTURE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  33. 2001-11-14
    ➕
    PURPLE VENTURE INCORPORATION LIMITED appointed
    corporate-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.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

95/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 65. 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 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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.

Group structure

Simple Technical Solutions Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Simple Technical Solutions Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
GR8 DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED
This company · SC225278

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Simple Technical Solutions Holdings Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control20/02/2019
Mr Gordon Riddell
Individual · British · DOB 04/1961 · age 65
——sig. influencesignificant influence06/04/2016
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr Craig Boyd Barrowmanceased 31/07/2021· significant influence
  • Simple Technical Solutions Limitedceased 20/02/2019· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control

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

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
Incorporated2001-11-14
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC81222 — Specialised cleaning services

Registered office

Unit 3 Bankhead Avenue
Bankhead Industrial Estate
Glenrothes
Fife
KY7 6JG
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-26
Last: 2025-11-12

Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)

RIDDELL, Gordon→
director · ~65y · appointed 2003-11-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
PURPLE VENTURE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2001-11-14 · resigned 2016-04-06
Resigned
BARROWMAN, Craig Boyd→
director · ~61y · appointed 2015-03-02 · resigned 2021-07-31
Resigned
LAW, Simon Paul→
director · ~56y · appointed 2006-02-20 · resigned 2010-04-05
Resigned
PURPLE VENTURE INCORPORATION LIMITED→
corporate-director · appointed 2001-11-14 · resigned 2003-11-18
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Bibby Financial Services
Bibby Invoice Discounting Limited (As Security Trustee)
A registered charge—28/04/2023—
satisfied
NatWest Group
Rbs Invoice Finance LTD
A registered charge—17/09/201928/04/2023
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge1 property15/07/201328/04/2023
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (79 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-24
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2025-02-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-27
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2023-05-03
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-04-28
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-04-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-29
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2021-08-04