Cash Flow & Forecasting
Cash-flow visibility that matches how hospitality actually trades.
Profit on a management pack is not the same as money in the bank. We help UK restaurants, bars and other businesses see expected receipts, supplier payments, payroll, VAT and tax so cash decisions are made with a forecast, not a surprise.
The pressure point
Cash feels tight without a clear view of what is coming next.
- 01A busy week that still leaves the bank short before payroll
- 02VAT or corporation tax arriving as a shock rather than a planned outflow
- 03Supplier payments scheduled without a view of the next quiet period
- 04No working forecast when considering a second site or a refurbishment
- 05Management accounts that explain last month but not next month’s cash
Included
What cash-flow and forecasting support includes
Each engagement is scoped to the restaurant or bar. The items below are the core of the service; we will tell you plainly if something sits outside it.
- Cash-flow reporting
A practical view of cash in, cash out and the movement between profit and the bank.
- Short-term forecasts
Expected receipts, supplier payments, payroll and tax plotted over the coming weeks or months.
- Scenario discussion
Simple what-if views when you are considering hours, purchasing or a new site — based on your figures, not generic promises.
- Budget support
Help setting a budget you can compare actuals against, where that is useful.
- Commentary
A short briefing on where cash is tight, where it is comfortable, and what is worth attention.
How it works
A clear process, without unnecessary steps.
We start from the actual bank and the books
Forecasts sit on organised records, not a spreadsheet that has drifted away from the till.
We agree the horizon that is useful
Weekly cash for a single site, or a longer view for a group — the cycle matches how you decide.
You receive a forecast you can use
Clear timings, known outflows and a conversation about what the numbers mean.
Benefits
What this changes in the business.
- Earlier sight of payroll, VAT and supplier pressure
- A shared cash picture for owners and managers
- Better conversations with lenders or landlords, based on current figures
- Budgets and forecasts that connect to the management accounts
Who it is for
Restaurant and bar operators, multi-site groups and other UK businesses that need cash-flow reporting and forecasting as part of a finance function.
F&B example
How this looks in a restaurant or bar.
Payroll, VAT, suppliers and quieter midweeks are plotted so cash is visible before it gets tight — a forecast, not a guarantee.
Systems supported
Quality-control and review
Work is prepared, reviewed and only then released. Senior review is part of the process for accounts, VAT, payroll and tax filings. You approve statutory and tax submissions before they go to Companies House or HMRC.
Related services
This work rarely sits on its own.
Questions
Cash Flow & Forecasting — frequently asked.
No. Management accounts explain performance that has already happened. A cash-flow forecast looks at money expected in and out. They should talk to each other, but they answer different questions.
We agree a horizon that is useful — often thirteen weeks for operational cash, longer where tax, capex or a new site is in view. We do not pretend a forecast is a guarantee.
No. We report and forecast from the information available. Decisions about spending, borrowing and trading remain yours.
