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Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?
In order to keep our shareholders up to date, especially if we become a plc again (public limited company), it is important to clarify some historical facts.
During his police service, our managing director in his previous vocation as Constable McLean lived on Davaar Island…
Davaar Island ~ Home of Russ McLean in The 1980s/1990s
On one serendipitous occasion, Constable McLea was sometimes called by his nearest (mainland) neighbour and friend, Jim McPhee to check on a “gentleman lurking in the bushes”. His wife, Elizabeth was quite concerned about this as well.
^^ Constable Russ McLean & Sheena McGillivray ^^
By the amazing new technology of Google 3D interactive streetview, here is the precise location where the gentleman was lurking ~ although the actual event occurred in 1984 (and many of the bushes have gone during the 42 years) …
Thankfully, this police call turned out to be an entirely innocent event.
It transpired the gentleman that had been “a-lurking” was one of Campbeltown’s most famous sons: Mr James Gulliver CVO.
If you have ever set foot in a Safeway Supermarket (now Morrisons Supermarkets) ~that was invented by Mr Gulliver.
A bout of being homesick saw James Gulliver visit the house he used to own and call home ~ which was now where Jim McPhee lived…
Some Years Later In McLean’s Second Occupation
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Back in 1984, after a close run thing at almost being arrested for lurking in a bush, to catch a glimpse of his old home… and after a nice cup of tea in his old home, courtesy of Jim, Elizabeth, with the and hot~beverage~fuelled~policeman, the gentleman who had attracted the attention of our plod-a-lot and the homeowners by Davaar Island… James Gulliver, gracefully gave his fond farewell and departed back to running a very large company in London…
The “Big” Argyll Group plc
However, such was the kindness of the gentleman ~ James Gulliver, that he made a point to visit with folk he knew in the local community of Argyll, Kintyre and Campbeltown.
This is long before the television generation of Dragons’ Den, (called “Shark Tank” in America).
One of the kindnesses Mr Gulliver extended were wise words to a small venture capital providing company in Kintyre. Ourselves.
There is a much longer narrative to this, but two things should be recorded…
1]. The directors of Scotslion Ltd., and the High Street Rescue Initiative Ltd., plus the Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., will always be indebted to and grateful for the wise counsel Mr Gulliver thoughtfully gave.
2]. When the “big” “Argyll Group plc” changed, merged and all manner of corporate events, including the horrendous Guinness duplicity, Mr Gulliver and indeed one of his apprentices, Sir Alistair Grant were asked by Russ if we could keep the “Argyll Group” name alive and along similar lines of creating jobs.
Both gentlemen said “yes.”
Which is how the smaller version of a company bearing the “Argyll Group plc” name came about…
The “Less Big” Argyll Group plc
There you have it: the difference between the two Argyll Group plc companies.
We will be clarifying more detail about this via the link on our min Unique Property Bulletin social media account Olink given at the foot of tgis page.
References
Source 1]. Mr James Gulliver CVO ~ Click Here.
Source 2]. The Guinness Scandal ~ Click Here.
The career of James Gulliver was harmed by the horrendous misconduct of people such as Ernest Saunders, and the horrendous Guinness Scandal.
This is one of the reasons we want to keep the good name of Argyll Group plc alive and doing decent things. For example, one of our Argyll Group companies is Unique Property Bulletin (a company born next door to the home of Mr James Gulliver CVO)…
3]. The big “Argyll Group plc” ~ Click Here.
4]. The smaller “Argyll Group plc” ~ we ran our company as a plc between 1997 to 2007, but the costs of £24,000 per annum for a “plc” were significantly higher than an ordinary “limited” company, so in 2007 we took our company private ~ Click Here .
All News About This Company Will Be Via Our Main Social Media Platform
For The Unique Property Group
Click Here
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Earlier narrative…
Some additional information for our readers who like to take a deep dive into what is behind the headlines…
Who?
We are: Argyll Group Private Equity (formerly Argyll Group plc) ~ A network of like~minded friends and colleagues of accidental business angels. Within our group are colleagues who range from (the founders) firefighters to police officers; navy crew to harbourmasters; doctors to nurses; airline pilots to airport ground crew; solicitors to accountants; electricians to plumbers, joiners and roofers; architects to quantity surveyors. A particularly broad skillset of professional experience to draw upon and help fund each empty property refurbishment and job-creation initiative. What? The purpose of Argyll Group Private Equity (formerly Argyll Group plc) has been to save businesses from closing and preserve jobs.
The larger endeavour has become refurbishing and re-opening closed-down buildings across a period of 25 years (1999 to 2024 and still going strong). So far, 78 premises have been refurbished and reopened by the Argyll Group plc., and subsequently a number of private-limited-companies within the Argyll Group Private Equity team.
To date, in excess of 203 jobs have been created so far. All due to an accidental success.
What?
Back in 1999 three friends bought an old derelict hotel as part of a unique property club from an idea by our publishing company: Unique Property Bulletin Ltd. This grew into our Argyll Group plc., shop reopening initiative. That progressed to renovating shut~shops; closed~hotels and bringing life back into derelict industrial~units. Subsequently, the mentoring of new businesses has become an important element of what we do in order to create new jobs.
Where?
Based in Scotland, and London, UK., with a diminutive office in America, we cover a fairly large area.
The experience of creating new jobs in the United States of America was a revelation. More detail will be uploaded via our main social media account link at the foot of this page.
There are now post-Brexit plans to purchase and re-open closed-down buildings for the business centre part of what we do, but extend this to Europe.
By way of example, the Abbey Studios (Tayport Group Ltd) should illustrate the first part of bringing a High Street back to life.
When?
Originally we started lightly as part of our “Accidental Success” series in 1989.
However, the Argyll Group plc., balanced with contemporaneous registered charity established a “proof-of-concept” endeavour of bringing an entire High Street’s closed-down shops back to life. Added to this was re-opening the “last shop” in the village and “last bank” or “last pub” in the town.” That commenced in 1999 too.
How?
Between 1999 and the first public share issue, the original circle of three friends grew to 78 during the next couple of years and eventually ended up at 585 shareholders.
The following decade, the costs of operating a plc (public limited company) were significantly high.
So we took the main public company private.
Fortunate circumstances resulted in our assembling 111 highly active participants from the original 585 (and the 111) have renewed vigour in spite of Covid pandemic and the TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) from our CEO being hit on the head by a 5,000 ton ferry!
The second part of “How?” is by purchasing shut-shops, closed-down hotels and derelict-factories. shops, Then renovating these buildings and nurturing new businesses back to a viability.
Eventually a significant percentage of buildings + businesses are sold/gifted to the employees or sold to an asset-backed SIPP colleague so that the funds can be recycled by renovating more buildings and creating more hobs.
The third part of the “How? is that we NEVER borrow money.
Our group BAN mortgages and the buildings are 100% owned by the shareholders of each ring-fenced limited companies that bring each property and job-creating business back to life.
Why?
The simple answer is that the first closed-shop we re-opened was very enjoyable and created 3 jobs.
That progressed to bringing a High Street back to life. Then a shut-hotel was renovated and reopened.
The “Why?” of it all boils down to being a very enjoyable experience.
The fact that dormant/closed buildings are brought back to life and new jobs create is an added bonus.
Statutory Notice
Our original plc (public limited company was fully FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) compliant, along with OFT CCL and LAUTRO regulated. Over time, most of our efforts now have an exemption under HNW (High~Net~Worth) and/or the Sophisticated~Investor protocol. What we do can trigger the Financial and Markets Act (Financial Promotion) Order 2001).
Consequently, this Statutory Notice is placed on every page of what we publish where this is required by FCA ~ financial safety requirements.
The High~Net~Worth and Sopisticated~Investor protocol is incredibly helpful in providing the full spectrum of what newstart businesses need. Funding plus premises; along with mentoring and wise counsel (although our directors and core team volunteer their time at NO remuneration).
Funding is vital as it makes these building renovation projects work. We operate on 100% equity with NO bank debt NOR mortgages.
All buildings are fully insured, so the asset~backed nature of what we do gives an added security for our core group of 111 active HNW & S/I shareholders .
With the purchase (and major renovation) of our latest business incubator “Abbey Studio” premises in Arbroath, we aim to create at least 20 new jobs each year in each town.
The literal program will progress to a random town in each of the four nations of the UK where a tired High Street will be selected to prove, in real life terms that the High Street does not need to die.
As of 2026/27, we are uploading details of buildings/experiences from our past, present and future examples. Please bear in mind the past segments go back 25 years and hold a wealth of useful lessons that can ensure better outcomes for future shop/office/factory/hotel renovations.
You might like to study some of the projects completed to date and possibly replicate what we do in your own town’s High Street, or your own village’s last shop or closed community-hub pub! The reviews of buildings that have been renovated and newstart businesses within shall be ulpoaded and fairly random on this site at first, but in due course we are over-hauling this website so it sits on the page more neatly. Thereby serving a use as an online reference manual encapsulating ways to recover dying areas in the typical High Street.
This, in turn, helps community cohesiveness. In the growing network of reopened buildings, the number of people that have found work has increased significantly.
We cannot over emphasise our group’s wish to see (and help) OTHER people outwith our group in other towns across the UK pull together and also save their High Streets and/or their last Village Shop/Pub/Hotel from closure.
By doing this, such positive action can stop the erosion of community spirit and loss of civic society. It is our hope, indeed passion that other communities can benefit from the experiences and endeavours narrated on this website.
Argyll Group plc ~ It is important to note that our Argyll Group plc was a SECONDARY and much smaller entity to the original FTSE Argyll Group plc (24th August 1983 – 2nd July 1996. Registered number: 1299733). The Argyll Group plc name was eventually brought back to life thanks to, and as an homage to a fine mentor who lived and worked within a mile of our own offices – an acclaimed Scottish businessman; James Gulliver CVO.
Our Argyll Group plc was established 9th April 1999 and ran until 12th October 2007.
During this period, the costs of running a public limited company were taking up a significant amount of time and money. We found that the reasons for becoming a plc were less and less relevant so took the company private. Once the projects covered by our Argyll Group plc were completed, we closed that company in an orderly fashion (SC195145).
For due diligence, we should note that every building we purchase is placed into a stand-alone dedicated limited company. Once we have completed each renovation project and the life cycle of the holding company is complete, we simply close that company in an orderly fashion.
We will be forever indebted to James Gulliver CVO, FRSE., for business advice and mentorship that he gifted to our founding directors and almost coincidentally (almost accidentally), our indebtedness to James Gulliver’s close friend, Sir Alistair Grant FRSE. For it was Sir Alistair who signally instilled the humble lifting of morale that the creation of registered charities can achieve where the traditional Companies House business format does not quite fit the outcome being sought.
The Creditcare Money Advice Charity of the 25th March 1997 (1061544) being a first example, with the Friends of TS Queen Mary charity being the second registered on 4th December 2012 (SC043623) and its Constitution written via the very keyboard typing these words, to the third nascent charity, the: “The Unique Buildings T Risk Preservation Trust.”
Thankyou Sir Alistair. Thankyou James.
Thankyou to all of our Shareholders and all the folk who understand why our group of property eccentrics does what it does.
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All News About This Company Will Be Via Our Main Social Media Platform
For The Unique Property Group
Click Here
The modern Argyll Group plc was taken from being a public company (plc) to a private company and is part of the Argyll Group Ltd (SC544125) and Scotslion Ltd., consortium. The latter operates as the project-management and property division of an earlier iteration of Argyll Group plc.
Unlike the historic FTSE 100 retail conglomerate, this smaller entity operates as a grassroots, independent collective focused on property renovation, historic building preservation and charitable works across Scotland, London and the entire UK, and with offices in America.
Origins & The “Small Acorns” Evolution
The business was born out of a localised project in Scotland during the 1990s and 2000s. It initially began as an accidental success when the founders purchased a series of highly dilapidated, empty commercial shops on a local Scottish high street to rescue them from urban decay.
This initiative expanded into a wider real estate model dubbed “High Street Rescue” and grew into a portfolio of properties managed under the Argyll Group plc / Scotslion Ltd., moniker.
Main Divisions & Operations Today, the group’s ongoing activities are run via Scotslion Ltd. and cover four core
pillars:
~ Unique Property Renovations: The hands-on acquisition, restoration, and
conversion of unusual and historic buildings throughout the UK.
~ The Unique Property Bulletin: A widely known niche media publication and platform run by the team that helps enthusiasts track down unusual real estate for sale across the UK (such as lighthouses, castles, forts, and airfields).
~ The High Street Rescue Initiative: Continuing their original mission to purchase, refurbish, and revitalise crumbling or empty commercial high street storefronts.
- Charitable Projects: Funding and project-managing community and heritage assets. Prominent examples include supporting the Friends of TS Queen Mary charity (the historic turbine steamship birthed in Scotland and once moored on London’s River Thames) and the Creditcare Money Advice charity.
- The London Connection While heavily rooted in Scottish heritage property projects, the group maintains its presence in London primarily to oversee southern English property restorations, coordinate with maritime heritage projects on the Thames (like the TS Queen Mary’s historical legacy), and interface with UK-wide media distribution for their property regular social media news bulletins.
For The Unique Property Group New Updates