DUMBARTON CAR CLINIC LTD
Opportunity 71/100 (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: distressed disposal / insolvency (65/100).
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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)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 105 (micro)| Metric | 2024-10-31 | 2023-10-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £-14.4k | — |
| Current assets | £4.8k | — |
| Net assets | £-17.3k | — |
| Average employees | — | 300 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
Corporate timeline (14 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-25📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2024-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-07-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-03-21📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2016-10-11🏢Company incorporatedAs DUMBARTON CAR CLINIC LTD
- 2016-10-11➕SMITH, Hugh William appointedsecretary
- 2016-10-11➕SMITH, Hugh William appointeddirector
- 2016-10-11📄incorporation-companyincorporation · NEWINC
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.
- +No director turnover: Company is 10 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Hugh William Smith Individual · Scottish · DOB 08/1972 · age 54 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 11/10/2016 |
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 · Automotive · G postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRIVE GROUP LTD→ SC333359 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| EHD COMMERCIALS LTD→ SC849997 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FM MOTORS LTD→ SC794795 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| FORMULA ONE CAR CENTRE LIMITED→ SC305930 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| FOUR SK LTD→ SC423132 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| FRUIN MOTORS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED→ SC072939 · est 1980 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 45y | — | — |
| G.B. MCKERRACHER & COMPANY LIMITED→ SC067529 · est 1979 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 47y | — | — |
| GALLACHERS CAR GARAGE LIMITED→ SC852958 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GAMART LTD→ SC626300 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| GARAGE AND TRAINING IN THE COMMUNITY LTD→ SC485234 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| GARAGE ONE LTD→ SC706875 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| GARAGE4YOU LTD→ SC769302 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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 (2 active · 0 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.