HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC263315 · ltd · incorporated 2004-02-11
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Apr 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: Manufacture of beer
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, 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

6 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 21.1y

35/100
too messy

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 21.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (77/100)

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
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
81 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
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
69
Some moderate concerns — review 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£0Apr 2024Apr 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-04-302024-04-30
Average employees6—

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
5
filings
  • • 2 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 2 officers
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
6
filings
  • • 2 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 2 officers
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (36 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-03-23
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  2. 2026-03-23
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  3. 2026-03-11
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  4. 2026-03-11
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  5. 2026-02-26
    ➖
    HILL, Carole Michelle resigned
    secretary
  6. 2026-02-26
    ➖
    HILL, Carole Michelle resigned
    director
  7. 2026-01-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2024-12-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2024-01-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2023-01-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2022-01-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2020-12-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2020-01-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2019-01-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2018-02-09
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  16. 2018-02-09
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  17. 2018-02-09
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  18. 2018-02-07
    ➕
    HILL, Carole Michelle appointed
    director
  19. 2015-03-18
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  20. 2015-02-26
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  21. 2012-05-01
    ➕
    HILL, Lewis Oliver appointed
    director
  22. 2007-05-11
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  23. 2007-05-02
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  24. 2007-02-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  25. 2007-01-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  26. 2006-04-25
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  27. 2006-04-04
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  28. 2006-02-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  29. 2005-03-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  30. 2004-02-11
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY LIMITED
  31. 2004-02-11
    ➕
    HILL, Robert Joseph appointed
    director
  32. 2004-02-11
    ➕
    HILL, Carole Michelle appointed
    secretary
  33. 2004-02-11
    ➕
    BRIAN REID LTD. appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  34. 2004-02-11
    ➖
    BRIAN REID LTD. resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  35. 2004-02-11
    ➕
    STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD. appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  36. 2004-02-11
    ➖
    STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD. resigned
    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 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
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.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 22 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

2 med ·
2 director resignations in last 12 months
medium

Multiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.

Evidence: HILL, Carole Michelle resigned 2026-02-26; HILL, Carole Michelle resigned 2026-02-26

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

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Lewis Oliver Hill
Individual · British · DOB 10/1987 · age 39
50–75%
50–75%50-75% shares · 50-75% voting06/04/2016
Mr Robert Joseph Hill
Individual · British · DOB 09/1961 · age 65
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mrs Carole Michelle Hillceased 16/03/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

Similar companies

Active · Food & drink · KW postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
ARGO'S BAKERY LIMITED→
SC082881 · est 1983
——£550.3k—42y8366y
CRANTIT DAIRY→
SC141498 · est 1992 · no financials extracted
————33y7980y
DUNNET BAY DISTILLERS LTD.→
SC454474 · est 2013
——£2.85M—12y7545y
ANNIE'S BAKERY LIMITED→
SC439693 · est 2013
——£57.1k—13y7334y
CAPALDIS BRORA LTD→
SC555799 · est 2017
——£16.1k—9y7335y
DUNROBIN HIGHLAND DISTILLERY LIMITED→
SC520078 · est 2015
———010y7355y
58 NØRTH LTD→
SC850938 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
—————7141y
BOREAL BREWING LTD→
SC870145 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
—————7145y
DONALDSONS OF ORKNEY→
SC740005 · est 2022
——£86.8k—3y7147y
GOLDEN SLIPPER BREWING COMPANY LIMITED→
SC824877 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y7054y
FORBESCROFT LTD→
SC686242 · est 2021
——£5.0k—5y6943y
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——£-3.5k—12y6370y
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
Incorporated2004-02-11
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC11050 — Manufacture of beer

Registered office

Swannay Brewery
By Evie
Orkney
KW17 2NP

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-12
Last: 2026-02-26

Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)

HILL, Lewis Oliver→
director · ~39y · appointed 2012-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HILL, Robert Joseph→
director · ~65y · appointed 2004-02-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HILL, Carole Michelle→
secretary · appointed 2004-02-11 · resigned 2026-02-26
Resigned
BRIAN REID LTD.→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2004-02-11 · resigned 2004-02-11
Resigned
HILL, Carole Michelle→
director · ~65y · appointed 2018-02-07 · resigned 2026-02-26
Resigned
STEPHEN MABBOTT LTD.→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2004-02-11 · resigned 2004-02-11
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

6
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
A registered charge—26/02/2015—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Standard security1 property02/05/2007—
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Standard security1 property24/01/200711/05/2007
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Standard security1 property04/04/200603/02/2007
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Standard security1 property21/02/200625/04/2006
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Bond & floating charge1 property22/03/200518/03/2015
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (81 total)

change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-03-23
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-03-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-12
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-03-11
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-03-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-01-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-01-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-04-12