GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED
Group 1 Retail Limited is a private limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 00194561. It was incorporated on 19 December 1923 and is recorded as active on the Companies House register. Its registered office is at First Point, St Leonards Road, Allington, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0LS.
The company has traded under several names since incorporation, most recently as Inchcape Retail Limited between 16 February 2001 and 1 August 2024, and before that as Wadham Kenning Motor Group Limited, Wadham Stringer Vehicles Limited, Wadham Stringer (Dibden Purlieu) Limited and, from incorporation, Portsmouth Garages Limited.
According to its Companies House SIC classification, Group 1 Retail Limited’s registered business activities are the sale of new cars and light motor vehicles, the maintenance and repair of motor vehicles, and the wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories. The company therefore operates within the UK motor vehicle retail sector, spanning new and used car dealerships, vehicle servicing and parts distribution.
On 1 August 2024, Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), a US-listed automotive retail group, completed the acquisition of Inchcape’s UK retail operations, comprising 54 dealership locations and three collision centres across England and Wales trading brands including Audi, BMW/MINI, Jaguar Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz/smart, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Group 1 Automotive reported the transaction as an all-cash deal of approximately $439 million (£346 million) and stated the acquired dealerships were expected to generate approximately $2.7 billion in annual revenues. The company was renamed from Inchcape Retail Limited to Group 1 Retail Limited on the same date.
Companies House data for Group 1 Retail Limited was retrieved on 22 September 2026.
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Shareholders
1
Shareholders of Group 1 Retail Limited
Companies House records one disclosed shareholder: Group 1 Automotive UK Limited, a private limited company registered in England and Wales (company number 06099813), holding 67,000,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, representing 100% of issued share capital, as verified 21 September 2026. This is a direct corporate shareholding. The disclosure follows the entity’s 1 August 2024 restructuring, when Group 1 Automotive UK Limited became the recorded shareholder in place of the company’s previous parent.
Ultimate beneficial ownership
The Companies House persons-with-significant-control (PSC) register lists Group 1 Automotive UK Limited (company number 06099813, England) as the sole active PSC of Group 1 Retail Limited, holding ownership of shares and voting rights in the 75%+ bracket together with the right to appoint or remove directors, notified 1 August 2024. This is a corporate PSC, not a natural person, so no individual ultimate beneficial owner can be identified from this filing alone. A previous PSC, Inchcape International Holdings Limited (company number 3580629), ceased on 1 August 2024 when Group 1 Automotive UK Limited was notified as the new controlling entity.
Data availability
Shareholder and PSC information for this England and Wales company is Full: Companies House publishes the complete disclosed shareholder register and PSC filings. No natural-person UBO has been disclosed, consistent with the company being under corporate rather than individual significant control.
Sources
- Companies House — Group 1 Retail Limited, company overview — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00194561 — retrieved 22 September 2026
- Companies House — Group 1 Retail Limited, persons with significant control — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00194561/persons-with-significant-control — retrieved 22 September 2026
| Shareholder | Type | Holding | Source Document |
|---|---|---|---|
| GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE UK LIMITED | 100% | Companies House |
Officers
5
Directors and officers of Group 1 Retail Limited
Companies House records six active officer appointments and a substantial officer history for this company. The current board comprises five directors — Gillian Hobson (appointed 1 August 2024), Daniel James McHenry (appointed 1 August 2024), Farheen Ahmad (appointed 5 June 2026), Jane Cadell (appointed 24 August 2026) and Craig Rodney Strike (appointed 24 August 2026) — together with Gillian Hobson also serving as company secretary (appointed 1 August 2024). Several directors and the former corporate secretary, Inchcape UK Corporate Management Limited, resigned around the 1 August 2024 ownership change, with further director turnover recorded into 2026, including the resignations of Mark Leeder (31 March 2026) and Mark Douglas Raban (19 May 2026). This reflects the live Companies House officer register as at 22 September 2026.
Recent officer changes
- Appointment: Craig Rodney Strike, Director, effective 24 August 2026 (Companies House)
- Appointment: Jane Cadell, Director, effective 24 August 2026 (Companies House)
- Appointment: Farheen Ahmad, Director, effective 5 June 2026 (Companies House)
Data availability
Companies House publishes current and historical officer appointments for England and Wales companies, including appointment and resignation dates. Nationality is disclosed for current directors on the public register (British and American nationalities are recorded among current directors); residential addresses are not published, and the correspondence addresses shown on the public register are service addresses, not home addresses.
Sources
- Companies House — Group 1 Retail Limited, officers — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00194561/officers — retrieved 22 September 2026
Group Structure
Group structure of Group 1 Retail Limited
Group 1 Retail Limited is part of a verified UK corporate group. Its immediate parent, confirmed by Companies House PSC filing, is Group 1 Automotive UK Limited (company number 06099813, England), which holds 100% of issued share capital and has been the company’s controlling PSC since 1 August 2024. Group 1 Automotive UK Limited’s own current PSC filing names Sterling Management Holdings Limited (Cayman Islands, registration WC-306617) as its controlling shareholder, notified 5 July 2022; an earlier PSC entry for Group 1 Automotive UK Limited, Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (Texas, US), ceased on that same date. Separately, Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) confirmed in its own SEC Form 8-K filing and official press release that it completed the acquisition of Inchcape’s UK retail operations — the business now held through Group 1 Retail Limited — on 1 August 2024, for reported consideration of approximately $439 million (£346 million). The precise ownership chain connecting Sterling Management Holdings Limited to Group 1 Automotive, Inc. is not disclosed in UK company filings and could not be independently confirmed from Companies House data alone. No direct or indirect subsidiaries of Group 1 Retail Limited itself were identified in Companies House PSC data as at 22 September 2026.
Verified corporate relationships
| Entity | Country | Registration number | Relationship | Ownership | Status | Information date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 Automotive UK Limited | GB | 06099813 | Immediate parent | 100% of share capital | Active | 2026-09-22 |
| Sterling Management Holdings Limited | KY | WC-306617 | Indirect parent (via Group 1 Automotive UK Limited) | 75%+ bracket; exact % not disclosed | Active | 2026-09-22 |
| Inchcape International Holdings Limited | GB | 3580629 | Historical immediate parent | 75%+ bracket; exact % not disclosed | Ceased 1 Aug 2024 | 2026-09-22 |
| Group 1 Automotive, Inc. | US | SEC CIK 1031203 | Affiliate — reported acquirer and consolidating group per SEC filing; not confirmed as direct PSC of Group 1 Automotive UK Limited | Not disclosed | Active | 2026-09-22 |
Recent structural changes
- Acquisition: Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) completed the acquisition of Inchcape’s UK retail operations, including this entity, on 1 August 2024, for reported consideration of approximately $439 million (£346 million) (source: Group 1 Automotive SEC Form 8-K, 1 August 2024).
- Change of parent: the company’s PSC changed from Inchcape International Holdings Limited to Group 1 Automotive UK Limited, effective 1 August 2024 (source: Companies House PSC filing).
- Renamed from Inchcape Retail Limited to Group 1 Retail Limited on 1 August 2024 (source: Companies House).
Data availability
Corporate-linkage information for this England and Wales entity is Partial: the immediate parent (Group 1 Automotive UK Limited) and its own controlling shareholder (Sterling Management Holdings Limited, Cayman Islands) are confirmed by Companies House PSC filings, but the full ownership chain connecting Sterling Management Holdings Limited to Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) is not disclosed in UK filings. Group 1 Automotive, Inc.’s role as acquirer and consolidating group is confirmed only via its own SEC filings and press releases, not via a UK PSC filing naming it directly.
Sources
- Companies House — Group 1 Retail Limited, persons with significant control — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00194561/persons-with-significant-control — retrieved 22 September 2026
- Companies House — Group 1 Automotive UK Limited, persons with significant control — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06099813/persons-with-significant-control — retrieved 22 September 2026
- Group 1 Automotive, Inc. — SEC Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1, 1 August 2024 — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1031203/000103120324000061/exhibit991-8124.htm — retrieved 22 September 2026
- Group 1 Automotive, Inc. — press release, 15 April 2024 — https://www.group1corp.com/2024-04-15-Group-1-Automotive-Agrees-to-Acquire-Inchcape-U-K-Dealerships — retrieved 22 September 2026
GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE UK LIMITED
United Kingdom
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED do?
UK motor vehicle retailer — new and used car sales, vehicle servicing and motor parts wholesale (SIC 45111, 45200, 45310).
Who owns GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED?
Group 1 Automotive UK Limited (GB, company no. 06099813) holds 100% of issued share capital (Companies House, verified 21 Sep 2026).
Who is GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner)?
Every shareholder recorded for GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED is itself a company rather than a natural person, so no Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) is identified at this level; establishing one would require tracing the ownership of each shareholding company in turn.
What is GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's company registration number?
GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's registration number is 00194561, filed with Companies House in United Kingdom. Its current status on the register is active.
Is GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED still an active company?
GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's status on Companies House is listed as active.
When was GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED incorporated?
GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED was incorporated on 19 December 1923, according to Companies House.
What is GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's registered address?
The registered address on file for GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED is Maidstone, United Kingdom.
What legal structure is GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED registered as?
GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED is registered as a Private limited company (Ltd.) in United Kingdom.
Is GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED listed on a stock exchange?
Not listed itself; reported acquirer/consolidating group Group 1 Automotive, Inc. trades on NYSE as GPI.
Who are the officers/directors of GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED?
6 active officer appointments (5 directors + 1 secretary) as at 22 Sep 2026; board largely refreshed Aug 2024–Aug 2026 following ownership change.
Does GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED have a parent company or subsidiaries?
Immediate parent: Group 1 Automotive UK Limited (PSC, GB 06099813). Acquired by Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) on 1 Aug 2024 per SEC 8-K. Indirect parent per PSC: Sterling Management Holdings Limited (Cayman Islands).
Can Zavia monitor changes to GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's ownership over time?
This profile reflects a point-in-time snapshot from Companies House. Zavia's monitoring API can track changes to GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's registered shareholders, officers, and group structure going forward, flagging updates as they're filed rather than requiring a manual recheck.
Can I access GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's data through an API?
Yes. Zavia's API connects directly to official government ownership registries across 195 countries and territories, including United Kingdom, so records like GROUP 1 RETAIL LIMITED's registration, shareholder, UBO, and group-structure data can be queried programmatically instead of viewed one page at a time.
Where does this company information come from, and how current is it?
This record is sourced directly from Companies House and was last synced on 22 September 2026.