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Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?
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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, we cover the entire U.K., Plus job-creation projects in the United States of America. 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 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 fuds 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 do. 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 2024 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: “National Lighthouse Preservation Trust” (establishment during 2024). 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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Welcome to this sister website of our online: Unique Property Bulletin. The difference? Here at UNIQUE PROPERTY PROJECTS, we BUY some of the buildings featured in Unique Property Bulletin to RENOVATE and restore back to their former glory. These property adventures help provide EXTRA information about renovating for YOU in the form of free FEATURE ARTICLES. Plus, when we have completed each project, there are SPARE buildings and homes available for sale. These are guided the most affordable price we can muster. Some are sold as completed “turn-key” condition, ready for you to move into. Some are sold “as is” for you to restore to your own style and taste. All are exclusively here for you from us.
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