Instead of simply filing returns, a Hospitality Accountant:

• Translates daily trading data into clear decisions
• Helps protect margins and cashflow
• Spots VAT, payroll and compliance risks early
• Acts as part of your management team, not just an external bookkeeper

Why Hospitality Businesses Need a Specialist (Not a Generalist)

Hospitality is unlike most other sectors.

Revenue often:

• Arrives daily through EPOS, booking platforms and gateways
• Fluctuates with seasons, events and demand
• Includes advance deposits and deferred income

Costs are:

• Immediate and ongoing
• Heavily influenced by staffing and supplier pricing

A general accountant may:

• Treat all cash received as income
• Miss VAT errors on food, accommodation or travel
• Fail to control labour cost ratios
• React too late to cashflow problems

This leads to:

• Overpaid or underpaid VAT
• Unexpected tax bills
• Weak profitability
• Stress for business owners

A specialist Hospitality Accountant designs your finance function around how your business really operates.

Who We Help

We work with hospitality and hospitality-related businesses across the UK, including:

• Restaurants and dining groups
• Cafés and coffee chains
• Takeaways and delivery kitchens
• Hotels and serviced accommodation
• Travel agencies and tour operators
• Tourism and excursion businesses
• Event management companies
• Wedding planners and corporate event organisers

From owner-managed businesses to groups turning over £500k to £20m+, we support hospitality businesses at every stage.

Common Problems We See in Hospitality Finance

1. Poor Cashflow Visibility

Businesses are busy but don’t know what cash is actually safe to spend.
👉 We build rolling cashflow forecasts.

2. VAT Errors and Overpayments

Incorrect treatment of food, accommodation, travel or event income.
👉 We fix VAT setup and reclaim lost cash.

3. Rising Labour Costs

Staffing ratios creep up without owners noticing.
👉 We track labour percentages and margins.

4. No Monthly Reporting

Owners only see figures at year-end.
👉 We deliver clear monthly management accounts.

5. Seasonal Shocks

Busy periods mask weak planning for quiet months.
👉 We plan for seasonality and deposits properly.

Our Hospitality Accounting Services

1. Cloud Accounting & Monthly Management Accounts

We build a finance system around how your hospitality business trades.

What we do:

• Set up and optimise Xero or QuickBooks
• Integrate EPOS and booking platforms
• Reconcile daily sales, cash and card takings
• Track income by site, event or service line
• Produce monthly management accounts on time

Key reports include:

• Gross margin analysis
• Labour cost ratios
• Profit by site or event
• Cashflow overview

Outcome: You understand your business beyond just the bank balance.

2. Year-End Accounts & Corporation Tax

We prepare compliant, accurate accounts with a hospitality focus:

• Correct treatment of advance income and deposits
• Capital allowances on fixtures and equipment
• Multi-site and group reporting
• Tax planning for owners and directors

Outcome: Accounts that make sense to HMRC, banks and investors.

3. VAT for Hospitality, Travel & Events

We manage VAT across complex hospitality activities, including:

• Catering and takeaway VAT
• Accommodation VAT
• Event services VAT
• Travel and Tour Operators Margin Scheme (TOMS)
• Mixed and partial exemption
• Historic VAT reviews and clean-ups

Outcome: VAT done correctly, with no nasty surprises.

4. Payroll, Staffing & Compliance

We manage:

• Weekly or monthly payroll
• Variable hours and rota-based pay
• National Minimum Wage compliance
• PAYE, NIC and pensions
• Payroll reporting aligned to operations

Outcome: Staff paid correctly and compliance risks reduced.

5. Cashflow Forecasting & Financial Planning

We support:

• Rolling cashflow forecasts
• VAT and PAYE planning
• Seasonal forecasting
• Supplier and cost planning
• Growth and expansion modelling

Outcome: No surprises, even in quieter months.

6. Virtual Finance Office (VFO) & Virtual CFO

We can act as your internal finance team:

Virtual Finance Office

• Bookkeeping
• Reconciliations
• Payroll
• VAT
• Management accounts

Virtual CFO

• Profit improvement strategies
• Pricing and margin analysis
• Scenario planning
• Board and investor reporting

Outcome: Senior-level finance support without full-time salaries.

7. Multi-Site, Group & Expansion Support

We help with:

• Multi-location reporting
• Group structures and SPVs
• Event-based profitability tracking
• Investor and lender reporting
• Exit and succession planning

Outcome: Growth without losing control.

Our Process – How We Work with Hospitality Businesses

Step 1 – Discovery Call

Understand your business model, size and challenges.

Step 2 – Diagnostic Review

Review your accounts, VAT, payroll and systems.

Step 3 – Proposal & Roadmap

Clear, fixed-fee plan agreed upfront.

Step 4 – Onboarding & Clean-Up

Fix issues and build strong systems.

Step 5 – Ongoing Support

Monthly reporting, advice and proactive support.

Indicative Packages (Guide Only)

Starter Hospitality Package

For small or early-stage businesses

• Bookkeeping
• VAT returns
• Annual accounts & CT600
• Basic payroll

Growth Hospitality Package

For established businesses

• Monthly management accounts
• Payroll & pensions
• VAT planning
• Cashflow forecasting

Scale & Group Package

For multi-site or high-turnover businesses

• Full Virtual Finance Office
• Virtual CFO support
• Group reporting
• Strategic planning

All packages are tailored, no one-size-fits-all bundles.

Speak to a Specialist Accountant for Hospitality Businesses

If you want to:

• Gain control of your numbers
• Improve margins and cashflow
• Reduce tax and compliance risk
• Scale with confidence

…then let’s talk.

Book Your Free Hospitality Strategy Call

Call: 020 3740 7074
Email: info@accountaxzone.com
Website: accountaxzone.com

Join Hundreds of Happy SMEs getting services from our expert Accountant

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