OPTARE PLC

1. OPTARE PLC 2008-07-14 → present
2. DARWEN HOLDINGS PLC 2008-01-23 → 2008-07-14

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

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.

Accounting basis

IFRS

Reporting scope

Consolidated group

Auditor

BDO LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“The group has obtained a legally binding letter of support from its ultimate parent company, Ashok Leyland Limited, who are a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in India. This letter confirms that, if necessary, Ashok Leyland Limited will source or provide additional funding if required to allow the company to meet all contractual and legal obligations and covenant requirements if needed, including any intercompany receivable balances due, for the period up to and including the 30 September 2026. The directors have assessed the ability and intention of the ultimate parent company to provide funding if required and consider this satisfactory.”

Group structure

1. OPTARE PLC · parent
   1. Switch Mobility Limited 98.56% · UK
   2. Switch Mobility Automotive Limited 100% · India
   3. Switch Mobility Europe SL 100% · Spain
   4. Optare UK Limited 100% · UK

Significant events

• “On 27th March 2025, the Board of Directors authorised the commencement of consultation process with Union and employees which could lead to potential cessation of activities at the Sherburn facility in Leeds in the UK to review the options.”
• “On 15th May 2025, after considering various business factors and options together with employee expectations, it was mutually agreed that the closure of the Sherburn facility and the cessation of operations in the UK was the only viable option.”
• “Switch Mobility Limited has received a legal claim for damages from a customer at the end of August 2025 and is currently in the process of defending this claim.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

7

last 12 months

Capital events

2

last 24 months

Officers appointed

0

last 12 months

Officers resigned

0

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  +68.3%

  £66,555,000 → £112,000,000

• Cash

  +320.7%

  £12,340,000 → £51,915,000

• Net assets

  -40.8%

  £9,956,000 → £5,895,000

• Employees

  +13.6%

  568 → 645

• Operating profit

  -25.2%

  -£31,157,000 → -£39,024,000

• Profit before tax

  -7.7%

  -£45,238,000 → -£48,724,000

• Wages

  +9.8%

  £19,848,000 → £21,796,000

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers