Accountants for Southport businesses, landlords and the self-employed

Hospitality, tourism and retail sit at the heart of Southport. Cafés, restaurants, bars, guest houses and independent shops all depend on visitors, and trade often rises in the warmer months and slows in winter. That pattern affects cash flow, staffing and when you can afford to pay your tax.

Seasonal businesses benefit from knowing their figures month by month, not once a year. With up-to-date bookkeeping and management accounts, you can see a quiet winter coming and plan for your tax bill well before 31 January.

A simple habit helps a lot here. In busy months, move a fixed share of your takings into a separate savings account for tax. If you trade as a sole trader, remember that payments on account are due on 31 January and 31 July, each usually half of last year’s bill. The July payment lands in the middle of the season, when cash is normally better. The January payment comes when trade is quiet, so it needs planning.

• Payroll for changing hours. Seasonal and part-time staff often work different hours each week. We run the payroll and file with HMRC every pay day.
• Tills and card takings. We match till and card machine takings to your bank, so your sales figure is right.
• Tips. We help you make sure tips are shared out fairly and recorded the way the rules now require.
• VAT. Food, drink and accommodation businesses can pass the £90,000 VAT threshold over a busy year. We watch the rolling 12-month figure and handle VAT returns.
• Limited companies. If you trade through a company, we prepare your accounts and corporation tax return.

If you are opening a new café, shop or guest house, we can also help you decide whether to start as a sole trader or a limited company. Our guide on sole trader vs limited company explains the main differences, and we can set up the company for you if that is the better choice.

Southport also has plenty of rented homes and flats, and many people combine a job with letting a property. We prepare landlord tax returns, apply the mortgage interest rules correctly and work out Capital Gains Tax when you sell. Our property income allowance guide covers the £1,000 allowance and the £7,500 Rent a Room scheme.

For the self-employed, from hairdressers to decorators, we file your Self Assessment return and plan for payments on account. If your turnover and rent together are over £50,000, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from April 2026, and the limit falls to £30,000 from April 2027.

We are a two-person practice led by an ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Our only office is at 19 Galloway Street, Liverpool L7 6PD, and you are welcome to visit by appointment. If that is not convenient, we work by phone, WhatsApp, video and email, and Saturday appointments are available on request.

Getting started is straightforward. We have a free 20-minute chat about your business, send a fixed price in writing within one working day and then connect to your records. We work with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent and spreadsheets, so you do not have to change the way you work.

Southport clients pay the same fixed monthly fees as everyone else: from £99 for the self-employed and landlords, £150 for limited companies and £220 for growing businesses. After a free 20-minute chat, you get your exact price in writing within one working day. See our fees, or send us an enquiry.