Eighteen years working with hospitality businesses, and nothing else.
The firm was established because the hospitality sector needed financial partners with genuine sector understanding. After eighteen years, offices on three continents and hundreds of client relationships, that founding principle has not changed.
Founder Tom Stanley built and operated hospitality businesses before he became an accountant. He grew frustrated with generic financial advice that never addressed the problems he actually had, management accounts that arrived too late to act on, and margins that moved without explanation.
In 2007 he started the firm on a straightforward principle: hospitality businesses deserve a finance partner who understands the sector from the inside, not one who adapted a generic model and called it specialist.
We now operate across London, Manchester, Munich, Dubai and New York, serving everyone from ambitious independents to multi-site backed groups. What they have in common is wanting a finance partner actively engaged in the business, rather than one processing paperwork.
Years working exclusively in hospitality finance
Offices, London, Manchester, Munich, Dubai and New York
Clients across the UK, Middle East and North America
Annual client revenue under management
Management accounts closed within six days, for every client
Year-on-year client retention
Team members globally
Two examples of what changes when the numbers start keeping up with the business.
A six-site London casual dining group was receiving management accounts too late to act on, with no reliable view of how each site was performing. We rebuilt the reporting infrastructure around POS integration, automated invoice processing and site-level P&Ls. Within two periods, the reporting surfaced a margin problem that had gone undetected.
A fifteen-site casual dining group needed controls and visibility before it could expand. We put in invoice approval, consistent cost controls across the estate, and real-time performance tracking. New sites opened onto a system that already worked, hitting their targets at a lower cost base.
Every accountant, every system and every recommendation reflects eighteen years of daily sector experience.
The foundation of everything we do.
We finish what we pick up, without needing to be chased. When something goes wrong, we come to you with the fix rather than the problem.
We move at the pace your business moves at. If something needs doing, we get on with it rather than waiting to be asked twice.
Detail and accuracy matter, particularly under pressure. Month end should feel the same in your busiest period as in your quietest.
We ask the questions behind the question. Often the most useful thing we spot is the one nobody asked us to look for.
Trust is earned through presence and genuine relationships, not job titles. We are in your business, not just in your inbox.
Priorities in hospitality change quickly. We adapt with you rather than holding you to a scope agreed six months ago.
Williams, Stanley and Co. Limited is registered in England and Wales, company number 05860058. We are a member in practice of the Association of International Accountants (AIA), which is also our supervisory authority under the Money Laundering Regulations. We meet HMRC standards for tax, payroll and VAT compliance.
Our team holds ACA (ICAEW), ACCA, CIMA and AAT qualifications. Payroll and tronc are handled by qualified payroll professionals, and tax advisory is led by accountants with direct hospitality experience.
We are an AIA member firm and a Xero Platinum Partner, the top tier of Xero's partner programme, and the systems backbone behind the reporting we build for clients.
"I would have no hesitation in recommending Tom and his team, and regularly do."
Dylan, Founder at Pickle Consultancy
"The team at Williams Stanley & Co provides a seamless service for payroll. The friendly nature of delivering such important financials elevates Williams Stanley & Co against other providers."
Matt, Temper Restaurant Group
"Williams, Stanley & Co support the day to day running of our business and have become a strategic partner as we expand and steer the company forward."
Phil, Co-Founder of Cotswold Property
Whether you are opening a second site or running fifteen, we are happy to talk, about reporting control, growth infrastructure, or a finance partner who does the lot. We reply within one working day, with an honest view on whether we are the right fit.