THORLEY STEPHENSON LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC541921 · ltd · incorporated 2016-08-04
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 Aug 2025
Net worth
£428
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Solicitors
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -67% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 8.2y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 8.2 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
8 officers (1 active, 8 linked, 8 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
36 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
65
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
70
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 declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £428
Net assets shrinking
Down £12,882 YoY
Cash draining
Cash down 67% YoY
Cash YoY
-67%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£7k
↓ 67% YoY
Net Worth
£428
↓ 97% YoY
Current Assets
£49k
↓ 26% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£13k£27k£40k£53k£67kAug 2024Aug 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-08-312024-08-31
Total assets£428£25.5k
Current assets£49.4k£66.8k
Cash£7.3k£21.9k
Debtors£42.1k£44.9k
Net assets£428£13.3k

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
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (36 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-11-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-10-17
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  3. 2025-09-30
    ➖
    STEPHENSON, James Patrick resigned
    director
  4. 2025-09-24
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  5. 2025-09-24
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  6. 2025-05-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  7. 2024-05-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  8. 2023-08-14
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  9. 2023-06-06
    ➖
    TURNER, Lesley-Ann resigned
    director
  10. 2023-03-15
    ➕
    STEPHENSON, James Patrick appointed
    director
  11. 2023-03-15
    ➕
    TURNER, Lesley-Ann appointed
    director
  12. 2023-03-15
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  13. 2023-03-15
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  14. 2023-03-09
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  15. 2023-03-09
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  16. 2023-03-09
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  17. 2023-03-03
    ➖
    CONROY, Nicole resigned
    director
  18. 2023-03-03
    ➖
    GOSNEY, Euan resigned
    director
  19. 2023-03-03
    ➖
    STORRIE, David resigned
    director
  20. 2022-11-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  21. 2022-06-24
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  22. 2021-12-23
    ➖
    CONWAY, Nyree resigned
    director
  23. 2021-12-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  24. 2021-05-03
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  25. 2021-05-03
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  26. 2021-04-30
    ➖
    STEPHENSON, James Patrick resigned
    director
  27. 2021-04-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  28. 2021-01-06
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  29. 2021-01-01
    ➕
    CONROY, Nicole appointed
    director
  30. 2018-02-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  31. 2017-09-01
    ➕
    STORRIE, David appointed
    director
  32. 2016-08-04
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As THORLEY STEPHENSON LIMITED
  33. 2016-08-04
    ➕
    THORLEY, Mark Richard appointed
    director
  34. 2016-08-04
    ➕
    CONWAY, Nyree appointed
    director
  35. 2016-08-04
    ➕
    GOSNEY, Euan appointed
    director
  36. 2016-08-04
    ➕
    STEPHENSON, James Patrick appointed
    director

Owner dependency

98/100
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.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "THORLEY" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

65/100
Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

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.

Red flags

clean
No 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
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Mark Richard Thorley
Individual · British · DOB 04/1963 · age 63
25–50%
—25-50% shares04/08/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr James Patrick Stephensonceased 30/04/2021· 25-50% shares

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

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AYRSHIRE ALUMINIUM CO. LIMITED→
SC075647 · est 1981
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£1.75M–£3.00M
——044y8261y
ARPL ARCHITECTS LTD.→
SC116832 · est 1989
———70037y8367y
AUSTIN LAFFERTY LIMITED→
SC277684 · est 2004
——£745.0k—21y8362y
CYCLERATE LIMITED→
SC334375 · est 2007
————18y8358y
WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED→
SC201429 · est 1999 · no financials extracted
————26y8359y
WEST COAST CAPITAL (RETAIL PARKS) LIMITED→
SC219194 · est 2001
———024y8377y
WEST COAST CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED→
SC190805 · est 1998
———227y8377y
WEST COAST CAPITAL PRESTVEN INVESTMENTS LIMITED→
SC298919 · est 2006
——£2—20y8377y
ADAM WILSON & SONS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED→
SC230058 · est 2002 · no financials extracted
————24y8286y
ADELPHI PLANT HIRE (SCOTLAND) LTD→
SC239828 · est 2002
———223y8265y
ALBA PLANNING CONSULTANTS LIMITED→
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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
Incorporated2016-08-04
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC69102 — Solicitors

Registered office

37 Portland Road
Kilmarnock
Ayrshire
KA1 2DJ
United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-05-31
Last made up to: 2025-08-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-17
Last: 2025-08-03

Officers (1 active · 7 resigned)

THORLEY, Mark Richard→
director · ~63y · appointed 2016-08-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CONROY, Nicole→
director · ~40y · appointed 2021-01-01 · resigned 2023-03-03
Resigned
CONWAY, Nyree→
director · ~53y · appointed 2016-08-04 · resigned 2021-12-23
Resigned
GOSNEY, Euan→
director · ~44y · appointed 2016-08-04 · resigned 2023-03-03
Resigned
STEPHENSON, James Patrick→
director · ~66y · appointed 2023-03-15 · resigned 2025-09-30
Resigned
STEPHENSON, James Patrick→
director · ~66y · appointed 2016-08-04 · resigned 2021-04-30
Resigned
STORRIE, David→
director · ~50y · appointed 2017-09-01 · resigned 2023-03-03
Resigned
TURNER, Lesley-Ann→
director · ~39y · appointed 2023-03-15 · resigned 2023-06-06
Resigned

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
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge—13/02/2018—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (36 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-11-19
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-10-17
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-09-24
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-09-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-05-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-05-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-08-14
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-03-15
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-03-15
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-03-09
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-03-09
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-03-09