OBSERVER SHOP LTD
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-08-31 | 2024-08-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | — | £383 |
| Current assets | — | £49.1k |
| Cash | — | £19.9k |
| Debtors | — | £294 |
| Net assets | — | £1 |
| Average employees | 3 | — |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
2 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
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (24 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-02-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-03-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-05-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-03-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-06-09📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2017-02-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-09-16📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2016-06-08📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2016-06-08📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2015-06-19📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2015-06-19📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2015-06-03🏢Company incorporatedAs OBSERVER SHOP LTD
- 2015-06-03➕CARMICHAEL, John Russell appointeddirector
- 2015-06-03➕COSEC LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2015-06-03➖COSEC LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2015-06-03➕MCMEEKIN, James Stuart appointeddirector
- 2015-06-03➖MCMEEKIN, James Stuart resigneddirector
- 2015-06-03➕COSEC LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 2015-06-03➖COSEC LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr John Russell Carmichael Individual · British · DOB 07/1968 · age 58 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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 · Trade services · G postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARADE LAUNDERETTE LTD→ SC861999 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PERFECT CLEAN CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING LIMITED→ SC866637 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PERFECTLY MODERN LTD.→ SC473912 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| PHT GROUP LIMITED→ SC549149 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| PHYSIO FORM PILATES LTD→ SC583330 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| PILSCO LIMITED→ SC392727 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| PIPE BRACKETS LTD.→ SC354704 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| PJ THERAPIES LTD→ SC544440 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| PLANT POTENTIAL LIMITED→ SC598444 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| PORTMOR LIMITED→ SC761836 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| PORTOBELLO RETIREMENT DEVELOPMENT LTD→ SC640881 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| PORTRAYT SPMU LTD→ SC841344 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (1 active · 3 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.