The performance review
A clear view of your trading.
A practical plan for what’s next.
A one-off review of the numbers behind your café, restaurant, pub or bar. Focused analysis, a clear explanation and priorities you can put to work.
Free 20-minute conversation · No records needed to get in touch
Start with the question that matters.
Perhaps sales look healthy but there’s little left over. Supplier costs have risen. A quieter service is difficult to judge. Or you’re considering a change and want to understand the numbers first.
We choose the questions that matter most to your venue. I bring together the relevant sales, product costs and staffing records, check the information and work through what it means.
Your knowledge of the business is part of the analysis. Preparation time, service quality, regular customers and the way your team works all affect a sensible decision.
What you receive.
- 01 / A focused analysisYour existing records brought together around the questions we’ve chosen, with gaps and limitations explained.
- 02 / A concise written reportNormally three to five findings, each linked to the evidence and what it means for the business.
- 03 / A prioritised action planWhat to check, what to try, how to judge whether it helps and when to review it.
- 04 / Time to work through itA 60–90-minute conversation to explain the findings and check them against your experience of the venue.
- 05 / A follow-upA conversation around 30 days later about the actions taken, what has happened and what needs more attention.
See a fictional example of how a finding becomes a practical next step.
What we can look at.
- Food, drink and menu performance: sales mix, product costs, waste, discounts and the work behind each item.
- The trading week: sales, spend per customer and staffing by day or service, including preparation and closing.
- A proposed change: the costs and assumptions behind different opening hours, a menu change, delivery or an event.
The scope is focused on your priorities. We agree which areas the review will cover, rather than trying to examine every part of the business at once.
The founding-client fee.
£150One-off fee for an agreed founding-client project.
This is an introductory fee while I establish Third Place Advisory, initially with businesses in Cheshire and Greater Manchester. In return, I ask for the information we agree and honest feedback on the work.
Before you commit, I check a sample of your records and confirm the scope, timing, terms and total payable in writing, including any applicable tax. Substantial preparation or additional work is agreed separately.
The fee arrangement
If the agreed information does not produce any meaningful evidence-based findings or practical areas worth investigating, the £150 fee will be waived or refunded. This relates to the usefulness of the review; it does not promise any saving, profit increase or return on the fee.
I may ask for a testimonial or permission to write an anonymised case study. Nothing is published without your agreement.
What I need from you.
The review suits established venues with some trading history. Till reports, staff hours and product-cost information are the usual starting point. You do not need to prepare everything before the first call.
After checking a sample, I tell you what is needed and how to share it. We only use records relevant to the work; where useful, a longer period can help us understand seasonality.
Clear about the scope.
I’m not an accountant. The service provides commercial analysis and decision support. It does not include bookkeeping, accounts preparation, tax advice or the full responsibilities of a finance director.
I don’t guarantee business results. Results depend on the records available, the decisions taken and trading conditions. I explain where evidence is incomplete or an assumption needs testing.
The review stands alone. Ongoing support is optional and agreed separately.