PHOTOFLASH TRAVEL LTD.
💤Zombieactive
SC386666 · ltd · incorporated 2010-10-07
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
£431.8k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Other reservation service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 63-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 63). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 15.3y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 15.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
2 officers (1 active, 2 linked, 2 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
35 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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £431,788
Cash YoY
-25%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£215k
↓ 25% YoY
Net Worth
£432k
~ YoY
Current Assets
£339k
↓ 13% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £786.2k | £785.3k |
| Current assets | £338.9k | £387.9k |
| Cash | £214.8k | £286.9k |
| Debtors | £115.4k | £91.9k |
| Net assets | £431.8k | £430.2k |
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 (20 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-12-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-10-23📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2017-10-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2017-09-03➖PURDIE, James resigneddirector
- 2016-12-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-12-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-10-07📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-10-16📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2011-01-19🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2010-10-07🏢Company incorporatedAs PHOTOFLASH TRAVEL LTD.
- 2010-10-07➕PURDIE, Kenneth appointeddirector
- 2010-10-07➕PURDIE, James 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 16 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
88/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 63. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 16 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 16 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
cleanNo 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Kenneth Purdie Individual · British · DOB 12/1963 · age 63 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board controlsig. influence25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control · significant influence · firm interest | 06/06/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr James Purdieceased 03/09/2017· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control · significant influence · firm interest
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 · Leisure & entertainment · ML postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REV GLASGOW LIMITED→ SC882721 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| REV REFORM LIV LIMITED→ SC741117 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| REVERIEME MUSIC LTD→ SC504140 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| RIVALS BJJ LTD→ SC841190 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| S W G GOLF LTD→ SC436925 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| SCOTT MCMAHON LTD→ SC661442 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| SOCCER STARS ACADEMY EDINBURGH LIMITED→ SC693823 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| SOCCER STARS ACADEMY EDINBURGH WEST LTD→ SC833640 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| SOCCER STARS ACADEMY GLASGOW LTD→ SC685659 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| SOCCER STARS ACADEMY LEEDS EAST LIMITED→ SC862975 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SOCCER STARS ACADEMY LIVERPOOL CENTRAL LTD→ SC709224 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| SOCCER STARS ACADEMY MANCHESTER CENTRAL LTD→ SC697826 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2010-10-07
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC79909 — Other reservation service activities n.e.c.
Registered office
16 - 18 James Street
Carluke
Lanarkshire
ML8 4DE
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-21
Last: 2025-10-07
Officers (1 active · 1 resigned)
PURDIE, Kenneth→
Activedirector · ~63y · appointed 2010-10-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PURDIE, James→
Resigneddirector · ~89y · appointed 2010-10-07 · resigned 2017-09-03
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 19/01/2011 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (35 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-08-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-10-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-12-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-10-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-12-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-10-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2018-11-27