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.

Packaging EPR: another hospitality cost

Sep 14

2 min read

You may have heard of EPR, which is essentially going to be an inflation pressure on all of your packaging

What is packaging EPR?

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 make the organisations that supply or import packaging responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling it.

Obligations start at published thresholds. You're a small producer if your annual turnover is £1 million or more and you supply or import more than 25 tonnes of packaging a year. You're a large producer if turnover is more than £2 million and packaging comes to more than 50 tonnes.

Does EPR apply to your venue directly?

No, for most venues that question is someone else's problem. If you buy packaged goods from suppliers who sit above a certain threshold, then they carry the obligation but you pay the cost in their prices. And that pass-through is how most hospitality businesses feel EPR. The exception is drinks producers and importers, who may have obligations of their own.

Does it impact people differently?

The packaging mix differs by business type:

- Coffee shops carry cups, lids and composites in big volumes.

- Restaurants carry glass, food packaging and delivery packaging.

- Hotels have packaging spread across departments, so the full picture is easy to miss.

- Takeaways and QSR often use large amounts of single-use packaging.

- Multi-site groups face aggregation and data problems, which can make compliance harder.

Why pubs and bars are concerned about glass costs

The industry's argument is that drinks packaging supplied to the on-trade goes into commercial waste, which venues already pay to collect, yet producers still pay EPR fees on it as if it were household waste. In effect, the same glass is paid for twice. UKHospitality and operators including Stonegate, Punch Pubs, Fuller's and St Austell Brewery wrote to Defra in March 2025 asking for hospitality packaging to be exempt.

The British Beer and Pub Association put the cost of this at 5p to 7p a bottle, and MPs have quoted around 15p for wine bottles. The government's own analysis, cited in the debate, puts 85% of EPR costs on the end user. UKHospitality's guide quotes £350 a year for a small venue, £750 for a medium one and £2,000 for a larger pub.

What should you do about it?

Just a couple of things worth doing this year:

1. Review your packaging mix. Easier-to-recycle packaging carries lower EPR fees, so this is a money question as well as an environmental one.

2. Keep your packaging costs and packaging usage under review. This is another inflationary cost that can be mitigated. As with any cost line, one to keep an eye on!

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