SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Hoxton Mix has published an analysis of more than 29,000 virtual office and registered address sign-ups, showing that UK industries tend to establish new business presences at different times of year. The data identifies March as the busiest month overall.

The London-based provider examined 29,070 subscriptions recorded between 2017 and May 2026 and grouped businesses across 21 industry sectors by their primary UK Standard Industrial Classification code. The figures suggest there is no single national startup season, with sector patterns differing sharply across the economy.

March produced 2,951 sign-ups and was the peak month for six sectors: Information & Communication, with 892 sign-ups; Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities, with 833; Wholesale & Retail Trade, with 719; Real Estate, with 275; Healthcare, with 125; and Finance, with 107.

That concentration suggests the spring surge was driven mainly by service-led and knowledge-focused parts of the economy. Those sectors account for more than half of the startup activity covered in the analysis.

Different rhythms

Outside March, the pattern becomes more fragmented. May was the annual peak for six further sectors, including Manufacturing, with 127 sign-ups; Transport & Storage, with 101; Agriculture, with 13; Mining & Quarrying, with six; Household Activities, with 24; and Other Service Activities, with 176.

Several industries peaked at other points in the year. Administrative & Support Services reached its highest level in January with 429 sign-ups, while Accommodation & Food Services also peaked that month with 107.

Education and Arts & Recreation followed a different timetable, with both reaching their high point in April. The figures showed 130 sign-ups for Education and 144 for Arts & Recreation in that month.

Construction stood apart from the wider trend, reaching its annual high in August with 228 sign-ups. It was one of the few major sectors not to peak during spring.

Sector timing

The findings point to different operating cycles across industries rather than a single moment when founders are most likely to set up. Businesses tied to project pipelines, seasonal demand or professional services appear to choose different points in the calendar when arranging a registered or virtual office address.

The data is based on subscriptions for virtual offices and registered addresses rather than total UK company incorporations, so it reflects behaviour among firms choosing that type of business presence. Even so, the scale of the dataset offers a view of how timing differs between sectors.

The records span nearly a decade, covering subscription activity from 2017 onwards. Using SIC classifications, Hoxton Mix mapped sign-up volumes against each month of the year to identify recurring peaks.

For information and communication businesses, the numbers suggest spring remains the strongest period for setting up an address presence. Professional services and retail businesses showed a similar pattern, reinforcing March as the busiest point of the year for a large share of service-based activity.

By contrast, January appears to hold more appeal for some operational and customer-facing sectors. Administrative and support services, along with hospitality-related businesses, recorded their highest sign-up levels at the start of the calendar year.

Construction’s August peak marks one of the clearest breaks from that pattern. The timing may reflect the sector’s own commercial cycle, which differs from office-based and consumer-facing businesses.

A brief explanation accompanied the release of the figures.

“New founders often ask when the best time is to start a business, but our data suggests that’s the wrong question. The real question is: when is the best time to start your type of business? Technology founders appear to launch in spring, construction businesses build momentum later in the year and hospitality businesses often favour January. These aren’t random patterns – they reflect the different commercial cycles, customer demand and opportunities within each industry. It’s a reminder that successful founders aren’t simply following the calendar. They’re timing their launch to give themselves the strongest possible start,” said Chris Sees, Chief Executive Officer, Hoxton Mix.

Muscle Food has offered customers “quality” meat, high-protein meals, supplements, and more for 13 years (founded in 2013).

The brand has built its reputation on offering “macro-friendly” meal options, calorie-controlled bundles, and nutritional transparency, aiming to support customers’ health and fitness goals.

Its website explains: “Muscle Food brings together high-protein meats, curated hampers, supplements, snacks and functional drinks to support every goal.

“From lean, macro-friendly cuts to calorie-packed bulking options, our range is built to fuel performance, recovery and everyday healthy living.

“We focus on quality, clear nutrition and products that help you stay consistent, and we are always expanding to support your journey!

“Every order is carefully packed for freshness and delivered straight to you, making it easy to stay stocked with the food that powers your progress.

“With dependable delivery and consistent quality, MuscleFood fits seamlessly into your routine so you can focus on your goals.”

Muscle Food falls into administration

After 13 years, Muscle Food has now confirmed it has fallen into administration.

Stuart Kelly and Claire Harsley from Mackay Goodwin Limited were appointed joint administrators on July 21, according to The Gazette.

Despite its financial trouble, the company’s website remains online, along with a notice stating the joint administrators are now managing the business and its assets.

Muscle Food said: “The affairs, business and property are managed by the Joint Administrators, who act as agents of Muscle Foods Limited (In Administration) and without personal liability.”

Customers “very distressed” as Muscle Food at risk of closing

Muscle Food has built up a loyal customer base over the past 13 years, maintaining a 3.7-star rating on Trustpilot.

One long-time customer said: “Brilliant service, from delivery to the quality of the meats bought. My family and I have been using Muscle Food since their start-up.

“I first started buying for my family, and now my daughters have grown and have children of their own and now use Muscle Food too.

“I was VERY distressed to hear that they had gone into administration.

“Keep going Guys. There are thousands of us who appreciate you.”

Other UK companies that have closed or entered administration/liquidation in 2026

It has been a tough year for the UK high street, with several other retailers entering administration or liquidation and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street brands LK Bennett, Claire’s, and Quiz have been forced to close all their remaining stores after falling into administration.

UK fashion retailer Leading Labels is also set to close its remaining 15 stores after falling into liquidation.

Whitbread recently confirmed it will be closing all its UK restaurants in September:

• Brewers Fayre (89 locations) – September 7
• Beefeater (106) – September 10
• Bar + Block – September 3
• Table Table – September 3
• Cookhouse + Pub – September 3

TG Jones and the British Heart Foundation will also both be closing around 150 stores across the UK.

Other retailers have been forced to close stores this year, including:

Several UK travel companies have also ceased trading or entered administration in 2026:

Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation:

UK delivery company Yodel is set to be phased out after being acquired by InPost.

It’s also been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

It hasn’t all been bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.

Plus-size clothing brand Evans also returned to the UK high street recently after closing all its stores and concessions in December 2020.

Bodycare has also returned to the UK high street in 2026 after closing all its stores last year, having fallen into administration.

Do you use Muscle Food? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Ecommpay has been shortlisted in seven categories at the Payments Awards, including two individual Women in PayTech honours.

Its Head of Regulatory Compliance, Alpa Jotangia, and Chief Marketing Officer, Miranda McLean, are finalists for the Women in PayTech award. Ecommpay is also in contention for Best Online Payments Solution, Best Merchant Acquirer or Processor, Cross-Border Payments Solution of the Year, AI-Driven Fraud Prevention Platform of the Year, and Best Use of AI and Data in Payments.

The shortlist spans both corporate and individual categories in an awards programme that recognises businesses and executives across the payments sector.

Ecommpay operates a full-stack payments platform for merchants, with cross-border commerce at the centre of its offer. Merchants can access global and local acquiring, payment processing, and orchestration through a single API, alongside more than 100 payment methods.

Fraud prevention was one of the areas highlighted by the shortlist. Ecommpay cited its in-house Graph Analysis system as part of its response to payment fraud, a growing issue in digital commerce.

The individual nominations reflect different parts of the business. Jotangia was recognised for her work in regulatory compliance and for building a compliance culture within organisations.

McLean’s nomination centres on her marketing career and her work on inclusion, accessibility, and diversity in financial technology. Financial inclusivity sits at the heart of Ecommpay’s wider mission and shapes how it supports merchants seeking to improve accessibility for end customers.

AI focus

Artificial intelligence features prominently in the company’s awards showing. Alongside the AI-Driven Fraud Prevention Platform of the Year category, Ecommpay was shortlisted for Best Use of AI and Data in Payments, reflecting its use of machine learning and data analysis in payment processing.

Ecommpay has invested in artificial intelligence to analyse payment declines and fraud patterns. That work forms part of a broader push to improve checkout performance and payment acceptance rates for merchants.

McLean commented on the recognition in a statement.

“At Ecommpay, we are on a mission to push checkout performance to its absolute limit. As well as committing to increasing accessibility and inclusivity across our platform, adding to our suite of available payment methods and using the latest tech to fight fraud, we have invested in artificial intelligence to analyse payment declines and transform FinTech performance. To have our people, our innovations and our successes recognised with no less than seven Payments Awards shortlistings is incredible,” said Miranda McLean, Chief Marketing Officer, Ecommpay.

Company profile

Founded in 2012 and based in London, Ecommpay serves merchants looking to manage domestic and international payments through a single provider. Its platform includes open banking, recurring billing, and direct debits, which it builds directly into its system rather than relying on third-party products.

The business is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations to provide payment services. It is also a principal member of Mastercard and Visa, according to the company.

The seven shortlistings give Ecommpay visibility across some of the most competitive parts of the payments market, including online payments, merchant acquiring, cross-border transactions, fraud prevention, and the use of artificial intelligence in payment operations.

These categories highlight where payments groups are under pressure to differentiate, particularly as merchants seek fewer providers, broader geographic reach, and stronger fraud controls.

Ecommpay said ultimate financial inclusivity is its company mission, with a focus on helping merchants improve accessibility for customers.