The Stafford London, a five-star hotel in Mayfair, has been served a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) following a filing to the High Court. The 107-room luxury hotel faces the legal action just months after its managing director abruptly left.
Owner also targeted
BHL Global, the owner of The Stafford, has also received a winding-up petition from HMRC. The group runs The Stafford Collection, which includes Norma, a restaurant in Fitzrovia, according to City AM. Lympstone Manor, a hotel in Devon, is an associate member of the hospitality group.
Both The Stafford and Lympstone Manor feature Michelin-star restaurants run by Michael Caines, an English chef and restaurateur. BHL Global created The Stafford Collection in 2019, with Lympstone Manor joining in June 2025 when Caines became an associate member.
Recent management change
The tax action follows the resignation of The Stafford's managing director, John McLean, after just a year in the role. McLean previously worked as a chef at The Stafford before taking managerial positions at The Kensington, Brown's hotel in Mayfair, and The Lanesborough, also in Mayfair.
The Stafford, which dates back to the 17th century and has some of London's oldest wine cellars, was bought by BHL, formerly Britannia Hospitality, for £77.5m in 2009. BHL is owned by the El Sharkawy family, Egyptian property and hospitality tycoons.
Royal connection and financial strain
During World War II, the cellars served as an air-raid shelter for American and Canadian officers, who formed the "Better 'Ole Club". King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, was made an honorary member in recognition of his relationship with the hotel.
In the year to December 2024, the hotel owner's turnover fell by five per cent to £30.5m. BHL Group cited an "increasingly competitive" London luxury hotel market, rising wage, food and utility costs, and a "shortage of skilled labour" in hospitality.
In January, the Hotel Cafe Royal, another West End luxury hotel, faced a winding-up petition from HMRC, which was later withdrawn after being filed mistakenly. An HMRC spokesperson said: "We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and only file winding-up petitions once we've exhausted all other options, in order to protect taxpayers' money." The Stafford declined to comment, and BHL Group could not be reached for comment.
