The Stafford London, a five-star luxury hotel in Mayfair, has been issued a winding-up petition by HMRC. The petition, a formal legal process for unpaid debts, was filed at the High Court.
BHL Global, the owner of The Stafford, also received a winding-up petition from HMRC. BHL Global founded The Stafford Collection in 2019, which includes Norma, a Fitzrovia restaurant, and Lympstone Manor, a luxury hotel in Devon. Both The Stafford and Lympstone Manor feature Michelin-star restaurants by chef Michael Caines.
The tax authority's action follows months after the managing director of The Stafford, John McLean, left his role after only a year. According to its latest available accounts, the hotel owner's turnover decreased by five per cent to £30.5m in the year to December 2024. BHL Group has cited pressures from an "increasingly competitive" London luxury hotel market, rising wage, food, and utility costs, and a "shortage of skilled labour" in the hospitality sector.
HMRC stated it takes a supportive approach to tax debts and only files winding-up petitions after exhausting all other options to protect taxpayers' money. The Stafford declined to comment, and BHL Group could not be reached for comment.