MCGILL’S SCOTLAND EAST LIMITED
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Cash
£810k
+130% vs 2024
Net assets
-£2.8m
+44.3% vs 2024
Employees
124
+5.1% vs 2024
Profit before tax
£2m
+144% highest in 5 filed years
Watchouts
Facts from the Companies House register and the latest accounts — not a rating
-
Audit opinion: Qualified
Latest auditor's report carried a non-clean opinion.
-
Negative shareholders' funds
Net assets
5-year trend · vs Industrials median
Accounts
5-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-12-28
| Metric | Trend | 2022-03-26 | 2023-01-01 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-29 | 2025-12-28 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £12,247,000 | £6,301,900 | £6,832,054 | £3,925,979 | £4,397,314 | +12% | |
| Operating profit | -£718,913 | -£11,493,656 | -£4,150,209 | -£4,411,802 | £2,060,513 | +146.7% | |
| Profit before tax | -£721,913 | -£11,494,926 | -£4,181,405 | -£4,515,595 | £1,986,912 | +144% | |
| Net profit | -£698,913 | -£11,115,926 | -£4,181,405 | -£4,244,859 | £2,261,018 | +153.3% | |
| Cash | -£2,743,426 | £1,079,698 | £572,644 | £352,265 | £810,098 | +130% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £15,356,097 | £3,346,171 | £88,189 | -£4,378,988 | -£2,487,520 | +43.2% | |
| Net assets | £14,438,097 | £3,322,171 | -£859,234 | -£5,104,093 | -£2,843,075 | +44.3% | |
| Equity | £14,438,097 | £3,322,171 | -£859,234 | — | -£2,843,075 | — | |
| Average employees | 261 | 179 | 163 | 118 | 124 | +5.1% | |
| Wages | £7,274,000 | £5,023,823 | £5,589,263 | £3,749,217 | £3,460,942 | -7.7% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £107,000 | — | — | £0 | £0 | — |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2022-03-26 | 2023-01-01 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-29 | 2025-12-28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | -5.9% | -182.4% | -60.7% | -112.4% | 46.9% | |
| Net margin | -5.7% | -176.4% | -61.2% | -108.1% | 51.4% | |
| Return on capital employed | -4.7% | -343.5% | — | — | — | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 42.2% | 61.3% | 111.8% | 201.3% | 129.0% | |
| Current ratio | — | — | 0.51x | 0.28x | 0.45x | |
| Interest cover | — | — | — | -42.41x | 28.00x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Name history
Renamed 4 times since incorporation
- MCGILL’S SCOTLAND EAST LIMITED 2022-09-27 → present
- FIRST SCOTLAND EAST LIMITED 2008-09-05 → 2022-09-27
- FIRST EDINBURGH LIMITED 1999-06-28 → 2008-09-05
- LOWLAND OMNIBUSES LIMITED 1990-08-29 → 1999-06-28
- LOWLAND SCOTTISH OMNIBUSES LIMITED 1985-03-01 → 1990-08-29
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- Armstrong Watson Audit Limited
- Audit opinion
- Qualified
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“At the time of approving the financial statements, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting...”
Group structure
- MCGILL’S SCOTLAND EAST LIMITED · parent
- Midland Bluebird Limited 100%
- Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Limited 100%
- Niceon Limited 50%
Significant events
- “On 17 June 2025 we rebranded our Edinburgh tour service in partnership with Big Bus, integrating the service into the global Big Bus network and technology platform via a Brand Licence Agreement.”
- “On 14 November 2025 we terminated the BrightBus airport express services due to prohibitively high departure charges associated with Edinburgh Airport...”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
5 active · 76 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRUMMOND, Robert Lindsay | Secretary | 2025-09-01 | — | — |
| BALLANTYNE, Grant Norman | Director | 2022-09-21 | Mar 1965 | British |
| DRUMMOND, Robert Lindsay | Director | 2025-09-01 | Jun 1969 | British |
| NAPIER, Colin Rae | Director | 2022-09-21 | Oct 1973 | British |
| ROBERTS, Ralph | Director | 2022-09-21 | Aug 1963 | British |
Show 76 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALLANTYNE, Grant | Secretary | 2022-09-21 | 2025-09-01 |
| BARRIE, Sidney | Secretary | 2009-12-16 | 2011-07-15 |
| BLIZZARD, David John Mark | Secretary | 2022-08-09 | 2022-09-21 |
| GLIBOTA-VIGO, Silvana Nerina | Secretary | 2019-11-15 | 2020-07-31 |
| HAMPSON, Michael | Secretary | 2016-07-22 | 2019-11-14 |
| LEWIS, Paul Michael | Secretary | 2011-07-15 | 2014-05-19 |
| MATHIESON, Thomas | Secretary | 1995-02-01 | 1998-07-31 |
| METHVEN, John Bruce | Secretary | — | 1995-02-01 |
| SHARKEY, John | Secretary | 1998-09-07 | 2002-01-16 |
| STEWART, David Black | Secretary | 2002-01-16 | 2010-02-12 |
| WADE, Jarlath Delphene | Secretary | 2021-06-01 | 2022-08-09 |
| WELCH, Robert John | Secretary | 2014-05-19 | 2016-07-22 |
| ALEXANDER, David Brian | Director | 2014-04-21 | 2021-05-21 |
| BARKER, Neil James | Director | 2011-12-01 | 2014-04-21 |
| BELFIELD, Kevin John | Director | 2012-06-27 | 2014-08-18 |
| BROWN, Colin | Director | 2021-02-01 | 2022-09-21 |
| CAMERON, Duncan Young | Director | 2022-01-31 | 2022-09-21 |
| CAMPBELL, Alan Keyes | Director | 2022-09-23 | 2023-09-06 |
| CAMPBELL, William Watson | Director | 1995-04-28 | 1999-07-16 |
| COCKER, Steven | Director | 2002-12-10 | 2005-04-22 |
| COUPAR, Paul | Director | 2001-05-01 | 2002-01-16 |
| DESMOND, Jane | Director | 2007-08-06 | 2008-04-16 |
| DEWAR, Gordon | Director | 2002-01-16 | 2002-07-08 |
| DOUGLAS, Archibald | Director | — | 1990-08-17 |
| DUDDY, Victor | Director | 2004-07-01 | 2009-12-14 |
| DUNCAN, Robert Alexander | Director | 1994-11-18 | 2002-01-16 |
| EDMOND, John Macfarlane | Director | — | 1990-08-17 |
| GORMAN, John Finnigan | Director | 2011-04-18 | 2017-10-09 |
| GRAHAM, Robert | Director | 2010-08-05 | 2011-12-31 |
| GREEN, Andrew Joseph | Director | 2006-03-01 | 2006-09-29 |
| HOBSON, David James | Director | 2012-01-23 | 2013-05-18 |
| HUGHES, Patrick | Director | 1990-08-17 | 1996-02-01 |
| JARVIS, Andrew Simon | Director | 2017-10-13 | 2022-09-21 |
| JUFFS, Brian | Director | 2005-04-01 | 2007-07-18 |
| KAYE, David Andrew | Director | 2004-05-17 | 2006-09-29 |
| KERR, Fiona Mclaren | Director | 2016-03-01 | 2016-09-12 |
| KERR, Fiona Mclaren | Director | 2011-04-18 | 2013-12-09 |
| LEEDER, David John | Director | 2002-01-16 | 2004-08-10 |
| LOCKHEAD, Moir, Sir | Director | 1994-11-18 | 1996-04-25 |
| LYALL, John | Director | 2009-12-14 | 2016-08-13 |
| MACFARLAN, Graeme Kenneth | Director | 2018-02-22 | 2022-09-21 |
| MAIR, George Alexander | Director | 2000-05-31 | 2009-06-08 |
| MATHIESON, Thomas | Director | 1995-02-01 | 1998-07-31 |
| MCCORMICK, John Robert | Director | 1997-04-01 | 1998-02-06 |
| MCCRACKEN, William Ferrie | Director | 2004-06-01 | 2006-02-24 |
| MCCRACKEN, William Ferrie | Director | 1995-02-01 | 2000-08-31 |
| MCGOWAN, John Paul | Director | 2013-12-09 | 2017-10-09 |
| METHVEN, John Bruce | Director | — | 1995-04-26 |
| MONTGOMERY, Robert | Director | 1998-09-22 | 2001-03-07 |
| MURRAY, David | Director | 2017-02-06 | 2022-07-03 |
| MYERS, Stephen Edward | Director | 2007-01-15 | 2008-01-31 |
| O'CONNER, Andrew | Director | 2001-03-15 | 2004-07-01 |
| O'TOOLE, Raymond | Director | 1998-02-06 | 1998-09-22 |
| PARSONS, Geoffrey | Director | 2008-05-01 | 2010-08-05 |
| PELLING, William Pollock Douglas | Director | — | 2000-05-31 |
| PHILLIPS, David Craig | Director | 2022-09-21 | 2023-04-14 |
| PHILLIPS, David Craig | Director | 2017-10-13 | 2022-01-31 |
| PROUDFOOT, Alexander | Director | 1998-02-16 | 2001-05-21 |
| RAVEN, Garry Stuart | Director | 2004-02-10 | 2004-05-17 |
| ROBERTS, Trevor | Director | 1999-09-06 | 2001-05-21 |
| SAVELLI, Mark Andre | Director | 2010-08-23 | 2011-10-11 |
| SAVELLI, Mark Andre | Director | 2001-03-07 | 2002-12-31 |
| SEMPLE, Alan George | Director | 1994-11-18 | 1995-09-30 |
| SHARKEY, John | Director | 1998-09-07 | 2002-06-14 |
| SMITH, Colin | Director | 1994-11-18 | 1996-04-30 |
| STAFFORD, Colin | Director | 2002-01-01 | 2003-07-31 |
| STEWART, David Black | Director | 2002-01-16 | 2011-03-16 |
| STEWART, Malcolm Somerville | Director | — | 1990-08-17 |
| THOMAS, Paul Anthony | Director | 2008-03-17 | 2013-12-09 |
| TORRANCE, Graeme Hopkins | Director | 2002-07-08 | 2005-03-04 |
| TURNER, Juliette Frances | Director | 2002-09-09 | 2010-02-08 |
| WEATHERHEAD, Margaret Jean | Director | 1995-04-28 | 1998-02-16 |
| WEST, Gary | Director | 2017-10-13 | 2022-09-21 |
| WHYTE, Paul | Director | 1999-04-01 | 2001-01-31 |
| WILLIAMSON, James Anthony | Director | 2025-09-01 | 2026-03-23 |
| WOOD, Neil Martyn | Director | 1990-08-17 | 1995-04-26 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mcgill's Bus Service Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2022-09-21 | Active |
| Firstbus (North) Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Ceased 2022-09-21 |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 314 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2022-10-06 MA Memorandum articles
- 2022-10-06 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2026-04-01 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2026-03-31 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-11-27 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-09-02 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-09-02 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-09-02 | AP03 | officers | Appoint person secretary company with name date | |
| 2025-09-02 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date | |
| 2025-03-25 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-03-18 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-08-02 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-04-22 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2023-09-06 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2023-07-05 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-05-08 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2023-05-08 | AD02 | address | Change sail address company with old address new address | |
| 2023-04-19 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-10-07 | AA01 | accounts | Change account reference date company current shortened | |
| 2022-10-06 | MA | incorporation | Memorandum articles | |
| 2022-10-06 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 4
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 1
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.