Legal Advice for the Leisure and Tourism Industry

Setting up a new business in the leisure and tourism industry, or taking over an existing business, will often involve the sale or purchase of a commercial property. This process can be complex and different to the purchase of a residential property, but our specialist leisure and tourism solicitors have the know-how to help you every step of the way. From drafting purchase offers and contracts of sale, to guiding you through the legislation surrounding things such as money laundering, you can count on Lanyon Bowdler to help your leisure and tourism business succeed.

All businesses in the leisure and tourism industry are required to adhere to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 as it ensures fairness and transparency for the consumer. The act addresses imbalances that may be detrimental to the consumer, either financially or otherwise, and ensures that the consumer has all the available information to make an informed choice. Legislative acts can often be confusing to digest and put into practice, but our specialist team can help you to make the act work effectively for your business and your consumers equally.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is implemented in the UK via the Data Protection Act 2018, with a focus on accountability and transparency when it comes to protecting your clients’ data. At Lanyon Bowdler our experienced team can help with aspects such as data audits, data sharing, data breaches, dealing with data requests, and helping you to provide data protection training within your organisation. Our service is tailored to the specific needs of your business and the existing knowledge and experience of your staff, ensuring you receive the best possible advice and guidance.

Whether you operate within the leisure and tourism industry as a sole trader, small family business, or a large corporation, it is important to plan for succession. We recommend that you put measures in place to ensure the smooth running of your business in the event that you are taken ill, or in the event of your death. Our professional team have the knowledge and expertise to provide you with effective and innovative solutions to ensure your business is safeguarded for the future, such as lasting powers of attorney, drawing up a will, and tax-effective investment strategies.

Here at Lanyon Bowdler we understand how busy you are with the day to day running of your business, which is why we’re here to offer help and guidance with a wide range of employment law issues. Our team are able to assist your leisure, tourism, or hospitality business with aspects including HR issues like employee absence, grievances, and disciplinary hearings, as well as assisting you with drawing up contracts for temporary, permanent, and seasonal staff in line with current employment legislation.

When it comes to running a business in the leisure and tourism industry, there is a likelihood that disputes will occur from time to time. This could include disputes over property, breaches in contracts with customers or other businesses, or customer complaints made against your business. Our experienced and knowledgeable team can help you to successfully navigate any such dispute, ensuring that all parties are treated as fairly as possible.

Your brand is what helps to identify your business, distinguishing you from your competitors and improving customer loyalty. Your brand identity is linked with your intellectual property rights, so it’s therefore vital that you protect it. The last thing your business wants is to develop an innovative idea only to have it copied or exploited by a competitor. At Lanyon Bowdler our specialist team of intellectual property law solicitors can work with you to help you protect your brand and your intellectual property, ensuring your business isn’t compromised.

Ensuring that you have all of your commercial agreements in writing is crucial to the operation of your leisure and tourism business. A well drafted business contract provides a clear framework which outlines the expectations from each party, thus serving to minimise risks and protect your business in the event of a dispute. Whether the contract is between your business and your suppliers, customers, partners, or shareholders, our experienced business legal team can help to ensure that all parties understand what is expected upon signing the contract.

A healthy cash flow is vital for the operation of your leisure and tourism business. The main thing that can affect the cash flow of a business is late payments, for example if a customer does not pay their invoice on time. Cash flow can also be impacted by delays in goods being delivered to your business from the supplier, if you have already paid for the goods then your cash is tied up with nothing to show for it. Here at Lanyon Bowdler our DebtSolve team can assist you in recovering late payments or missing goods, and amend your credit control processes in order to minimise cash flow issues in the future.

Businesses in the leisure and tourism industry regularly need to borrow money in order to expand and grow, and our specialist banking and finance team can assist you and your lenders with drawing up loan agreements and repayment plans. We have experience assisting with helping clients to access the necessary finances to extend or refurbish their business premises, as well as aiding with the refinancing of a business, and the acquisition of a new business. We are able to anticipate the lender’s requirements, and ensure that the drawdown of funds can be quickly and easily achieved.

Within the leisure and tourism industry there are many businesses which operate as charitable or social enterprises, and the legislation surrounding this is different to that of a for-profit business. Our team of specialist commercial solicitors can assist with a number of different issues that you may face, such as registering your charity, the dissolution of a charity, the governance of a charity, and the incorporation of a community interest company, amongst other things.

Running a business in the leisure and tourism industry will typically mean that there is some commercial property involved. Our specialist commercial property team can advise on a variety of commercial property issues such as the acquisition, sales, and lettings of restaurants, pubs, hotels, B&Bs, and visitor attractions. We understand that commercial property issues can often be complex, which is why we endeavour to convey the information to you in a way that is easy to understand and digest, ensuring that you are clear about what is happening from start to finish.

When it comes to running a business in the leisure, tourism, and hospitality industry you need a corporate solicitor who understands the industry and understands your specific business needs. Here at Lanyon Bowdler our specialist corporate lawyers have the experience and expertise to assist with a variety of business issues such as mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, shareholder disputes, and establishing companies, LLPs, and partnerships, amongst many other things.