How much does it cost?

Fees are typically 0.75% to 1.5% of turnover, depending on the services you need and how many units you run. A like-for-like internal finance team costs roughly 4% to 7% of turnover, so you get the same capability for a fraction of the cost — with no recruitment, no sickness cover and no payroll admin. We confirm a fixed monthly fee after a free introductory meeting, so you know exactly what you are paying before you commit.

Do you work with single sites or only groups?

Both. We typically work with hospitality and retail businesses from one to five sites. The common thread is not size — it is that the owner is ready for proper financial reporting and wants a finance partner rather than someone who files the tax return.

How is a fractional CFO different from an accountant?

An accountant tells you what happened. A fractional CFO helps you decide what to do next. Ours sits on top of the virtual finance department for board meetings, funding rounds, lender conversations, growth decisions and financial models. A full-time CFO costs £150k+ before you start; this gives you the same experience only when you need it.

Yes, tronc schemes and payroll are handled as standard. Tronc distributes tips to staff in a National Insurance efficient way, and the rules changed in 2024: tips must be allocated fairly, with new requirements on how they are handled and taxed. Getting it wrong has a real cost.

Which software do you work with?

We are a Xero Silver Partner and a Xero Retail & Ecommerce specialist, and we work with Dext and ApprovalMax alongside it. We connect to your rota and EPOS systems so information flows automatically rather than being retyped.

Do we have to switch to Xero?

It is our recommendation and where we work fastest, but it is a conversation, not a condition. Tell us what you run now at the introductory meeting and we will be honest about whether moving is worth the disruption.

How quickly can you onboard us?

Most clients are fully live within two to three weeks of signing. Onboarding covers connecting your bank feeds, EPOS and rota systems, agreeing the reporting pack and introducing your named team.

Can you take over mid-year?

Yes. Mid-year is a perfectly normal time to switch. We handle the handover with your outgoing accountant, pick up the year to date and carry on — you do not need to wait for your year end.

What if we are behind on our bookkeeping?

That is one of the most common reasons people call us, and it is not a problem. We will scope the catch-up separately, tell you what it costs up front, and get you current before we start the monthly cycle.

Do you do payroll for hourly staff?

Yes — weekly or monthly, for hourly and salaried staff, including auto-enrolment pensions and tronc. We link to your rota system so hours flow through rather than being re-keyed.

Do you help with funding and landlords?

Yes. We have raised finance from banks and institutions many times, and we help with grant applications, insurance claims, emergency loans, landlord negotiations and HMRC Time To Pay arrangements.

Yes. A UK team, based in Hungerford, working with clients across the UK and heavily in London. You deal with the same named people every time: an Accounts Assistant, an Account Manager and a Director.

Hospitality VAT cut to 5% this summer: what qualifies

Aug 19
2 min read

Colourful Ferris Wheel - theme parks see VAT on childrens tickets reduce to 5% for summer holidays

In summer 2026 the Government has done something we stopped expecting: a temporary VAT cut to 5% - it is on children's meals and family tickets, running from 25 June to 1 September 2026.

For family-focused operators it is a much needed boost; for everyone else it mostly passes by unnoticed.

WHAT QUALIFIES FOR THE 5% VAT RATE? We are not going to talk about theme parks and tickets as it is not very relevant to most of our client. So lets look at food.

Children's meals qualify, provided three things are true.

The meal is clearly marketed as a children's meal,
it is served for on-premises consumption, and
it is sold by a restaurant, café or similar venue.

Takeaway children's meals do not qualify. Smaller portions of adult meals do not qualify. And the marketing matters as much as the food itself, it has to be genuinely marketed for children.

Fixed-price children's meal deals qualify in full, main, drink and dessert, as long as the drink is non-alcoholic. The Government makes a specific point of the alcohol in the guidance, which tells you that HMRC are expecting some operators to misuse the VAT cut.

One more thing. Just because a child orders an item, it does not make it 5%. If your 11-year-old insists on ordering off the main menu, that's still 20% VAT. Equally, if an adult orders from the kids menu, it qualifies for 5%. It is the menu that matters, not the person.

WHAT SHOULD OPERATORS DO?

Operationally it is not as simple as flipping a switch. Businesses need to update EPOS VAT mappings, review how children's menus are presented, think about whether children's options should be extended, check family bundle pricing, and review advance bookings and prepayments.

Finance teams also need to know which sales qualify and which do not, because a wrong VAT mapping on one menu line runs for the whole window.

For the family-focused operators in casual dining and attractions, this is a genuinely helpful short-term measure. For the rest of the industry, life carries on as normal. If you want to talk through VAT setup, menus or packages for whatever comes next, get in touch.

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