The State Of It: Hospitality Special

OVERVIEW

Our first event of 2026 and we're back at Projects, Nile House.

Hospitality is having a hard time of it. And yet - there's so much good stuff happening.

Join us for an afternoon with people from all corners of the industry. Between them they've built, staffed, fixed and reimagined some great places - and they'll be talking honestly about where it's all at, the highs and the lows, and what it actually takes to make it work.

Our friends at Williams, Stanley & Co. the hospitality-first accountancy firm, have partnered with us for this event - they'll be sharing their take on the numbers, and running free 1-to-1 clinic sessions from 2pm.

As always, there'll be plenty of time to chat and connect, and we're finishing the evening on the Projects rooftop with drinks and food until 8.30pm - all included in your ticket.

THE PANEL

Moderated by Tom Zahir, Decatur London: Tom has been building Decatur - his Louisiana-inspired food project - since 2013, through market stalls, residencies, pop-ups and sell-out pandemic shrimp boils. He knows the industry inside out and asks the questions that actually get to the point.

Lauren Lindford - Home Hospitality & Actually Good Chef Jobs: Lauren spent a decade working in hospitality before founding Home, a recruitment agency built around independent operators. She also runs Actually Good Chef Jobs - because the name says it all. Her thing is finding the right people for the right places, and understanding why that's harder than it should be.

Liam Cotter - Voya: Co-founder of Voya, one of Brighton's most talked-about openings - built on great cocktails, rotating vinyl and a strong point of view on what hospitality should feel like. Away from Voya he consults, styles and produces across the industry. Previously at Hawksmoor, where he helped win Best International Restaurant Bar.

Mandy Yin - Sambal Shiok: Mandy founded Sambal Shio, London’s first laksa bar, in 2013, building it from a street food stall into a critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant. She closed it this May - it was no longer viable given how labour-intensive it was to make her signature laksa from scratch. She’s written two cookbooks, turns up regularly on Saturday Kitchen, and now works with restaurant groups and food brands on creative direction, plus recipe development for Waitrose, Ocado and the Guardian.

Matt Paice - Chishuru: Matt became Joké Bakare's business partner in Chishuru in June 2021, and is responsible for all front of house operations at the restaurant. Chishuru has held a Michelin star since February 2024 and was listed in the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 in 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Matt has two wine qualifications and will happily talk to you about unacylated anthocyanins in red wine, if asked. He is currently building his own all-in-one software solution for restaurants at www.rooik.com

And before the panel:

Tom Stanley, founder of Williams, Stanley & Co. and Alison Wong, CFO at House of Gods, will share their take on the state of hospitality and what the numbers are telling us. 

FINANCE CLINIC - From 2pm

Tom Stanley, will be on hand from 2pm for free 1-to-1 sessions before the panel kicks off. Williams, Stanley & Co. work exclusively with hospitality businesses - so bring your questions, your headaches, or just a vague sense that something could be working better.

Six slots available, 20 minutes each and completely free - book yours when you grab your ticket.

ABOUT WILLIAMS, STANLEY & CO.

Hospitality accountants with an operator mindset. They work with ambitious businesses across the UK and internationally - from independent operators to growing groups.

Specialising in bars, restaurants and hospitality groups, they understand the operational reality behind the numbers and focus on what actually moves margins.

As well as bookkeeping and payroll, they also ensure systems talk to each other, connecting EPOS, payroll, bank feeds and accounting so the data is usable and consistent, and your team isn't wasting time on manual workarounds.

They also offer proactive CFO-level support when you need it: From growth planning to cash control, they act like part of the leadership team and help put structure in place, not just “do the accounts”.

FOOD AND DRINK 

Barbino, the new concept from the guys at CinCin will be providing food.

There will also be a rooftop welcome cocktail from Sipello - a British aperitif.

And look out for Brighton brewed kombucha from Pop Cultures and non-alc beer from Bunta.

EVENT RECAP

• 2pm - 1-2-1 Finance clinics with Williams Stanley & Co
• 4pm - Panel talk + Q&A
• 5.30pm - Food and drinks on the roof
• 8:30pm - Event ends!