THISTLEHAULAGE LTD
Opportunity 72/100 (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: 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 (58/100).
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 6.1y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 6.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|
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
Corporate timeline (20 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-10📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-26📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-01-20📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2024-01-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-13📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2023-12-26📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2022-11-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-02-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-01📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2020-03-31🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Bibby Factors Scotland Limited
- 2019-12-21📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2019-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-10📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2019-12-09📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2019-02-28📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2018-01-15🏢Company incorporatedAs THISTLEHAULAGE LTD
- 2018-01-15➕LETHAM, Robert Charles Grant appointeddirector
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 8 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
1 lowMultiple address changes in a short period can indicate operational instability or admin disorder.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Robert Charles Grant Letham Individual · British · DOB 12/1969 · age 57 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 15/01/2018 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Transport & logistics · PA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B. MUNDELL LIMITED→ SC054931 · est 1974 | £1.96M £1.47M–£2.45M | — | — | 54 | 52y | 83 | 64y |
| GALLANACH MARINE CONSULTANTS LIMITED→ SC769319 · est 2023 | £72.6k £54.5k–£90.8k | £28.2k | — | 200 | 2y | 84 | 50y |
| A M TRANSPORT (CAMPBELTOWN) LTD.→ SC355750 · est 2009 | — | — | £827.4k | — | 17y | 82 | 68y |
| AAI INTERNATIONAL SCOTLAND LIMITED→ SC383141 · est 2010 | — | — | — | 800 | 15y | 82 | 71y |
| BOYDS COACH HIRE LIMITED→ SC150742 · est 1994 | — | — | £476.2k | — | 31y | 82 | 63y |
| BRIAN ADAM`S TRANSPORT LIMITED→ SC307386 · est 2006 | — | — | £642.7k | — | 19y | 82 | 59y |
| BROOKFIELD SECURITIES LIMITED→ SC015861 · est 1930 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 96y | 82 | 66y |
| CRD INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT LTD.→ SC257963 · est 2003 | — | — | £130.6k | — | 22y | 82 | 70y |
| D.W. PARKER LIMITED→ SC241950 · est 2003 | — | — | £433.1k | — | 23y | 82 | 58y |
| FALKIRK CAR CARRIERS LTD.→ SC228015 · est 2002 | — | — | — | 16 | 24y | 82 | 60y |
| FLYING SCOT GLASGOW LIMITED→ SC182653 · est 1998 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 28y | 82 | 68y |
| GORDON GRANT MARINE LTD.→ SC265624 · est 2004 | — | — | — | 8 | 22y | 82 | 61y |
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 · 0 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Bibby Financial Services Bibby Factors Scotland Limited | A registered charge | — | 31/03/2020 | — |