About Us

Qualified in accountancy, experienced in leisure.
It’s on the tin and it’s what we are.

Accounting & General is the accountancy, tax and business advice practice of Alan Knight FCCA, covering Devon and the south west, based at Galmpton, twixt Brigham, Paignton and Totnes, eight miles from Torquay.

We are a small but perfectly formed team of individuals covering all aspects of a full-service accountancy practice.

Our office is small, yes, but has all of the modern technology that accountants need. Top of the range ‘Digita’ powers our accountancy and taxation programmes. We operate in ‘the cloud’ with Liberty Accounts, used by our bookkeepers working for you in more remote locations. We work with clients Sage and Quickbooks programmes. And our own in-house designed spreadsheets.

…and for the record. We do not work in a stuffy office, behind a front door grimed in urban dirt, with an aspidistra in the waiting room that depresses you as you walk in. (As you may find elsewhere at …. & Co.)

Add to this Alan’s eighteen years of senior commercial management experience across a range of leisure businesses, experiencing Royal visits, managing a 48 hour power cut on a remote island, to being one of a team that provided holidays for 450,000 all singing all dancing guests in a year, and Accounting & General is a practice perfectly suited for businesses of all sizes in the leisure industry in the south west.

Now we are back at our roots, providing accountancy and taxation services, based on a platform of experience of the, shall we admit it … more lively side of life.

This is our excuse to include a Monty Python sketch on our website!

Devon Tourism Awards

Devon tourism awards Accounting and General

We are proud sponsors of the Devon Tourism awards

Director

Alan Knight

Alan qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1989, and held several senior finance roles in big and small businesses in Devon and Somerset.

Alan has lived in the South West for all of his life and has extensive industry contacts across the region.

Starting out

Starting at the mighty Howmet Corporation, Exeter, to the nostalgia of Taunton Cider (currently reincarnating), the niche of Crewkerne Textiles (Bridport Gundry plc) and departed JH Dewhurst, butchers.

Butlin’s Minehead

The big opening came with a job offer as Finance Executive of Butlin’s Minehead, turnover £45m with 1,200 staff. After four years the status of deputy centre director achieved. Only the site of Euro Disney Paris was bigger in leisure in Europe. Activities and income streams are wide – from bars turning over £5m per year, to caravan sales and crazy golf. Then after five years it was time for a fresh challenge.

Tresco Estate, the Isles of Scilly

As general manager of Tresco Estate, in the Isles of Scilly for nine years, Alan held commercial responsibility for one of the biggest businesses in west Cornwall, probably the biggest. Losing the entertainment and bustle of Butlin’s, but gaining experience in hotels, cottages (timeshare and rental), a pub, various retail outlets, a world-famous garden attraction, a heliport, farm and all of the natural land and foreshore of the island. This experience is the core of what Alan can contribute to your business success.

Operations Director of a six-strong pub chain

A two-year spell as operations director of a six-strong pub chain in the South Hams was a baptism of fire to the tough pub industry, unprotected by the AB visitors to Tresco. Nonetheless a valuable experience in running a high-quality food led business, notably the Rose & Crown, Yealmpton and in the associated administration to match. The group was sadly liquidated three years after Alan’s departure.

Richardson Hotels

A short spell at Crealy Great Adventure Park, Exeter, then head hunted by Richardson Hotels to become group general manager. This gave Alan deep experience of financial control of hotels, getting an operational ‘quart out of a pint pot’ and sales and marketing for forward bookings.

The formation of Accounting & General

Of course, when you reach nearly fifty, the next thing you do is become self-employed and always known as ‘an accountant’ and with this unique commercial background, Accounting & General was formed in September 2009.

The aim … to replicate the top-quality AA red star, RCI gold crown service of Tresco hotels and cottages in the world of accountancy and taxation in Devon and the south west.

Meet the Accounting and General Team

Claire

Claire is a qualified Accounting Technician (MAAT), although modest, so you wouldn’t know it! Also studying for her full ACCA qualification. Claire has worked for a couple of the more crusty fusty accountants in Torbay, so very experienced in the essential but boring side of accountancy that we all need. She ensures our foundations are spot on. In her spare time Claire loves to travel on buses and trains – hopefully she avails herself of the leisure facilities en-route! (We think she is led astray by her husband!)

Liam

Liam crunches those numbers, bank reconciliations, control accounts – all under control. So keen he hardly stops for lunch! Our AAT trainee, and his calm and kind nature not only ensure Claire’s wild side is absorbed, he works with clients with a very supportive manner, quietly delivering the results. Most of Liam’s spare time is taken up in yomping across Torbay to get to and from work – again it seems, he has a penchant for bus travel.

Hilary

Hilary works on the wild side (that Claire dreams of) , well greater Dartmoor at least. She was not afraid to visit clients and collect their books when the DZP lynx was on the loose! If we want a job finished – ask Hilary is the motto. Hilary does the bookkeeping for our monthly account clients over ‘her way’ and apparently in her spare time drinks gin. (Very trendy then). Luckily Hilary has no affinity for buses, probably more for Uncle Tom Cobley’s horse!

Chris

A shadowy figure on our payroll, Chris takes on our most challenging accountancy clients. We can’t mention the names of practices he has worked for, but two of the top three in the south west. Chris knows his accountancy onions and supports us part-time at his stage of life. Chris has a personal number plate on his car!

Aaron

Aaron knocked on the door and asked for a job, so showing that tenacity we gave him one. Aaron carries out data entry for monthly accounts clients.

Andrew

Another supporter with a name dropping past having worked for the number one practice in the south west in a senior tax role. Andrew covers all of our complex tax situations, although truly this is very few clients, but he’s there when we need him.