42 Acres — Financial Clarity to Support Regeneration & Growth

Whether your multisite business or a single site business in the professional services sector, you could benefit by outsourcing your finances to Virgate

42 Acres — Financial Clarity to Support Regeneration & Growth

The Client
42 Acres is a regenerative estate, nature reserve and wellbeing retreat centre in Somerset, with a vision to live in harmony with nature, self and others. They host corporate retreats, team getaways, wellbeing retreats, nature-connection events, accommodation, and land-based experiences.

The Challenge
As 42 Acres grew, their operations became more complex. Originally working from a single P&L for the whole estate, the team needed more detailed insight into the performance of individual business areas. They also wanted flexible reporting — different formats for different stakeholders — and tighter controls around deposits and prepaid income.

On top of this, rapid expansion of their guest offerings and land meant the finance function had to keep pace with a dynamic and evolving business.

Our Solution
Virgate has been supporting 42 Acres since 2018, providing full day-to-day finance operations (excluding year-end statutory accounts and tax). This includes:

Purchase invoice processing
Bank & supplier statement reconciliations
Payment runs & bank signatory service
Balance sheet & income reconciliations
P&L preparation
Quarterly VAT returns
Payroll service
Inbox management
Xero & ApprovalMax subscriptions
Dedicated accounts email address on Virgate’s domain

Beyond the day-to-day, Virgate has flexed its approach to match the client’s needs. For example:

Delivering a custom Excel report for the Head of Finance and her team to use operationally, alongside a polished PDF pack for Directors to review in monthly meetings.
Producing reporting both against the original budget and against an updated forecast revised mid-year.
Keeping close control of deposits and prepaid income, reviewing variances each month to quickly resolve issues (such as unclosed bookings or early income).

The Results

Granular reporting: 42 Acres now has separate P&Ls for each area of the business, giving much more clarity than the single P&L they had before.
Tailored outputs: operational teams and leadership each get the reporting format that works best for them.
Reliable controls: monthly review of deposits and prepaid income means variances are caught and resolved quickly, avoiding large adjustments.
Support for growth: Since working with Virgate, 42 Acres has expanded beyond their original land, diversified guest offerings (including full-board options and new group experiences), and continued to invest in their regenerative vision — including pioneering permaculture, rewilding, and species reintroduction projects.
Smoother month-end: initial large adjustments were needed when the account was handed back post-maternity leave, but now month-on-month reporting runs smoothly.

Client Feedback

“As a small team we wanted to focus our efforts on growing our business, working with Virgate means we don’t need to worry about the day to day finance activities and deadlines for VAT and PAYE are never missed. Virgate have taken the time to truly understand our business and we see them now as an extension of our own team. We benefit from improved controls, support with technical queries and the comfort of knowing we have help on hand in case of absence or change with our staff.” Meg Beynon, Head of Finance

Contact us today to find out more on how we can save your business time and money

What our clients say...

Very fast response times, flexible, easy to work with. They helped us sort out our financial management and take it forward to the level we need as we grow.

Phillip Oppenheim, Managing Director at Cubana Bar & Restaurants

The team is friendly, dynamic, efficient and works with you for the benefit of your business and a fraction of the cost of having full time in house finance staff.

Jamie Robb, Managing Director at Marlborough Tiles Ltd

I am highly satisfied with the professionalism and expertise demonstrated by VIRGATE. Their streamlined systems and proactive communication ensure efficient and accurate financial management. The team’s dedication to client-centricity is commendable, providing personalized attention and valuable insights. I confidently recommend their services to anyone seeking reliable accounting solutions.

Olivier Mention, Finance Operation Support Manager

Barworks is a London focused bar group with 18 sites. We decided to out-source our accounts function in order to reduce our central costs, improve the efficiency of our management accounts process.

Scott Chillery, Barworks FD

Now more than ever we must rely on a financial partner that we can both trust in and who will ultimately save us money with Sarah and her team exceeding all expectations.

Adam Taylor, Founder, The Feathered Nest Country Inn

They have gone above and beyond, using the latest technology to combine various elements of the business, and providing expert advice on our finances.

Moe Hashimi, Managing Director at 42 Acres Ltd

As a business that has previously received quite basic bookkeeping and accountancy services, Virgate are in a different league. It’s a ‘proper’ bookkeeping and accounts service aligned to my needs.

Louise Palmer-Masterton, Founder at Stem + Glory

Sarah has been an invaluable tool for the growth and success of my business. I know I can depend on her to always be at the end of the phone any time of day to answer my questions and give me advice.

Ajith Jayawickrema

Their communication is excellent, and this is really important to us. They’re always there if we need them. They’re happy to explain things to us with patience and clarity.

Sidonie Warren, Founder at Papersmiths

Virgate’s package encompasses many weekly/monthly tasks that I would do myself giving me much more time to focus my attention on other activities within the business, a more better use of my time.

Claire Davies, Director, The Red Lion (Arlingham) Ltd

In just a short time we have already seen a 10% increase in our gross profit. As well as other efficiencies such switching to National more cost effective suppliers.

Angelee Sidar, Founder at Soul Deli

Working with Virgate has been an exceptional experience. Their professionalism and personalised approach to our financial needs have truly streamlined our accounting processes, making day-to-day operations much smoother. What stands out is their dedication to client service—Virgate ensures that we always feel supported, even through complex financial scenarios. Their ability to tailor their services to the unique needs of our property has made a significant difference in how we manage and plan our finances. Virgate’s proactive and hands-on approach has allowed us to navigate challenges more efficiently, making them an invaluable partner. I would highly recommend Virgate for any organisation seeking reliable, client-focused financial management solutions.

Saira CIELOSZYK, General Manager Ibis & Adagio London Sutton Point