Case Study

A taste for growth, a thirst for knowledge
The Red Lion, East Haddon

Warm, picturesque and homely, The Red Lion in East Haddon is a country pub in the heart of Northamptonshire that has plenty of time to put its customers first after entrusting its financial tasks to 10 Chartered Accountants.

Nick Bonner and his wife Ren had a desire to create a pub, hotel and restaurant, and when The Red Lion became available, it provided the perfect opportunity to realise this vision. Nick

took on the business in 2006 and has been busy developing his concept of a high quality destination pub, offering a superb customer experience.

The hard work has paid off with the award of a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognising good quality food at value prices. To top that, The Red Lion was also voted in the top 10 Best UK Country Pubs by The Good Food Guide emphasising how successful the business has become.

Resources have also been invested in a beautiful listed barn opposite the pub. A sympathetic renovation was undertaken, converting the barn into a state-of-the-art cookery school, delivering courses for both the corporate and consumer markets.

“10 Chartered Accountants takes the responsibility of controlling all of our finances which allows me to spend more time on the restaurant floor and growing the business. They act as our finance department overseeing our accounts, payroll, payment run and year end, as well as strategic advice and consultancy.”

Such ambitious plans required the back-up services of a pro-active and focussed accountancy practice, and Nick soon sought out the advice of David Foster with whom he had worked with at previous businesses. 10 Chartered Accountants plays a vital role in the day-to-day finances of the business.

“10 Chartered Accountants was essential in setting up a forecast and mini business plan for the hotel side of the business”, Nick added. “They have assisted us with planning realistic growth targets. Without that structure in place we would have struggled to keep on top of things.”

Nick finds the 10 Chartered Accountants approach very down to earth and enjoys regular monthly meetings with David, Brenda or other members of the 10 Chartered Accountants team.

“We go through the accounts in detail to ensure we make steady steps towards expanding the business and potentially opening another restaurant. That is our next ambition.”

10 Chartered Accountants take the responsibility of controlling our finances which allows me to spend more time on the restaurant floor and growing the business. They act as our finance department overseeing our accounts, payroll, payment run and year end, as well as strategic advice and consultancy. Nick, The Red Lion, East Haddon