Hotels and Hospitality

Specialist advice for hotels, restaurants, bars and the wider hospitality sector

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The hospitality sector operates under intense and sustained operational pressure. Margins are tight, regulatory requirements are heavy, staff costs are rising and the consumer environment changes constantly. Businesses in the sector that do not have the right financial and tax advice working alongside the operation tend to find the pressure compounds quickly.

The advisers who serve the sector well are the ones who understand the operational reality alongside the technical work.

Our hotels and hospitality team works with independent hotels, hotel groups, restaurants, restaurant groups, bars, pubs, contract caterers and the wider hospitality sector.

From single-site owner-operators through to multi-site groups and private equity-backed platforms, we provide the audit, tax, VAT, payroll and substantive advisory work that the sector needs.

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How we deliver hospitality sector advice

Each engagement begins by understanding your operations, including the site portfolio, the operating model, the cost base, the labour structure, the financing arrangements and the strategic position, so that we can provide advice based on the bigger picture.

From there, our team’s work runs alongside the natural operating rhythm of the business. Audits and assurance are conducted throughout the year, ongoing VAT and PAYE compliance are managed, payroll operation is streamlined, periodic management accounts and the substantive advisory work all run to a calendar that fits the way the business operates.

Our expertise

  • Audits of single-site and multi-site hospitality businesses
  • Statutory accounts preparation
  • VAT for hospitality, including reduced-rate items and partial exemption
  • Capital allowances on hotel acquisitions and refurbishments
  • Payroll for hospitality, including tronc and tips allocation under the new rules
  • Corporate tax planning and group structuring
  • Acquisitions, disposals and refinancings
  • Management accounts and KPI reporting for operators
  • Working capital and cash management advice

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, in force since October 2024, has changed the way tips, gratuities and service charges have to be handled.

The requirement to pass on 100 per cent of tips to staff, the prohibition on deducting administrative costs, the rules on the tronc and the obligation to maintain a written policy all need to be implemented properly.

We have worked with operators across the sector on the implementation and the ongoing compliance.

What you can expect from our hospitality team

Three things define our work in the sector:

Operational understanding

The people advising you understand the operational reality of hospitality. The cost structure, the labour model, the seasonality and the way the business actually runs.

Engaged with the financial picture

Beyond the audit and tax work, we provide the management reporting and financial analysis that hospitality operators need. Cost per cover, labour cost ratios and the wider KPIs that drive the business are always part of the conversation.

Supporting your growth

The sector sees significant deal activity, with private equity, family offices and trade acquirers all active. Our corporate finance team supports operators on acquisitions, disposals, refinancings and the strategic transactions that shape the business.

Hospitality businesses work with us because they want an adviser who understands the operational reality of the sector and acts as a practical guide through the compliance requirements, the financial reporting and the strategic decisions – someone who reduces the pressure rather than adding to it.

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Here is what our clients have to say… testimonial icon


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Macalvins have been running the Payroll and Pension Plan for Hayes & Yeading United Football Club for over 10 years.… Read more

Bernard Bitmead

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I love the people of macalvins. they are warm and very dependable. and that what matters to me in any… Read more

SUJOY GHOSH

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I have been MaCalvins for the past 6 years and I have found them excellent in every department. They manage… Read more

John Gill

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I’ve been with MaCalvins since 2013, they are managing my company business accounts and my personal tax returns in a… Read more

Taghreed Altuhafi

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Excellent service and understanding of our business needs

Kanesh Rajani

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Thank you Macalvins for excellent service over the years

S Hodzic

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Why choose Macalvins?

Macalvins is a Top 100 UK accountancy firm and a member of PrimeGlobal, a network of around 300 independent firms across more than 80 countries.

The breadth and depth of our knowledge of the hospitality industry allow us to provide a level of advice that adds real value to the businesses we serve.

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Frequently Asked Questions faq

How does the Tipping Act work in practice?

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act requires that 100 per cent of tips, gratuities and service charges paid by customers are passed on to workers. Deductions for administrative costs are prohibited. A written policy must be in place and records of how tips are allocated must be maintained for three years. The tronc remains an option for allocating tips but the rules on how it operates are now defined more tightly. We have worked with operators across the sector on implementation.

Can you advise on a hotel acquisition?

Yes. Hotel acquisitions involve specific considerations around SDLT, capital allowances on the fixtures and operating assets, VAT including the position on going-concern transfers, the corporate tax structure of the acquiring vehicle and the financial diligence on the trading position. Our corporate finance and tax teams work together on hotel and hospitality deals.

We operate across multiple sites. Can you provide consolidated management reporting?

Yes. Multi-site hospitality businesses benefit substantially from properly structured management reporting that compares performance across sites, identifies the drivers of variance and supports the operational decisions of the central team. We design and deliver reporting structures that fit how multi-site operators actually need to manage.

Mr. Jackson
@mrjackson