DAWNCREST LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
SC349910 · ltd · incorporated 2008-10-15
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 Jan 2025
Net worth
£3.15M
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Public houses and bars
Sector: Accommodation & food service
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 59). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -71% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 16.6y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 16.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
77 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 · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £3,148,797
Cash draining
Cash down 71% YoY
Cash YoY
-71%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£143k
↓ 71% YoY
Net Worth
£3.1m
↑ 8.0% YoY
Current Assets
£793k
↓ 16% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £5.59M | £3.17M |
| Current assets | £793.4k | £944.8k |
| Cash | £143.5k | £498.4k |
| Debtors | £608.9k | £423.1k |
| Net assets | £3.15M | £2.92M |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-11📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-08-09📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-08-07🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Cynergy Bank PLC
- 2024-08-06📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-08-02🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Cynergy Bank PLC
- 2024-07-16📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-07-16📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-07-16🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2024-07-16🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2024-07-11📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-20📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-09-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-11-18📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-10-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2018-01-10📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2011-07-12➕RICHARDS, Brian appointedsecretary
- 2011-07-12➖GOLDINGER, Mark resignedsecretary
- 2011-07-12➖GOLDINGER, Mark resigneddirector
- 2009-11-10🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
- 2009-10-05🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
- 2008-11-14➕RICHARDS, Brian appointeddirector
- 2008-11-14➕GOLDINGER, Mark appointedsecretary
- 2008-11-14➖BRIAN REID LTD. resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2008-11-14➕GOLDINGER, Mark appointeddirector
- 2008-11-14➖MABBOTT, Stephen George resigneddirector
- 2008-10-15🏢Company incorporatedAs DAWNCREST LIMITED
- 2008-10-15➕BRIAN REID LTD. appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2008-10-15➕MABBOTT, Stephen George appointeddirector
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 17 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
78/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 17 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 18 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
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Brian Richards Individual · British · DOB 01/1967 · age 59 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 07/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D JUNAT LIMITED→ SC856008 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DD - BENEDICT LIMITED→ SC784778 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| DD ORIGINAL LIMITED→ SC821828 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| DEBORAH'S JASMINE LIMITED→ SC657776 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| DEEN & SONS LTD→ SC741333 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| DEL'S VENDING COMPANY LTD.→ SC168682 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| DELI DONUTS LTD→ SC421112 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| DELI DONUTS SCOTLAND LTD→ SC421116 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| DELLOS LIMITED→ SC259799 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| DEMIR KITCHEN LTD→ SC844486 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| DERG INNS LIMITED→ SC300293 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| DEWLOR DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED→ SC750840 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2008-10-15
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC56302 — Public houses and bars
Registered office
C/O Bath Street Properties Limited
193 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4HU
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-29
Last: 2025-10-15
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
Active
RICHARDS, Brian→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2008-11-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GOLDINGER, Mark→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2008-11-14 · resigned 2011-07-12
BRIAN REID LTD.→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2008-10-15 · resigned 2008-11-14
GOLDINGER, Mark→
Resigneddirector · ~71y · appointed 2008-11-14 · resigned 2011-07-12
MABBOTT, Stephen George→
Resigneddirector · ~76y · appointed 2008-10-15 · resigned 2008-11-14
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Cynergy Bank Cynergy Bank PLC | A registered charge | 2 properties | 07/08/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | Cynergy Bank Cynergy Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 02/08/2024 | — | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank PLC | Standard security | 1 property | 10/11/2009 | 16/07/2024 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 05/10/2009 | 16/07/2024 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (77 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-31
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-10-11
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-08-09
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-08-06
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-07-16
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-07-16
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-07-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-25
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-09-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-13