The London Borough of Newham was created in 1965 from the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, and its name joins the two. It lies about five miles east of the City of London, bounded by the River Lea to the west, the North Circular to the east and the Thames to the south. With a population of 387,576, it is the third most populous London borough. Newham hosted most of the 2012 Olympic Park, including the London Stadium, and it is home to London City Airport.
We are brokers and do not lend. We arrange business mortgages for trading companies that want to buy or refinance the premises they work from anywhere in Newham. This is commercial finance on the building your business occupies, not a residential mortgage. Our job is to read your accounts, inspect the details of the property and put the case to the lenders whose criteria suit a Newham business.
Which premises do businesses in the London Borough of Newham buy with an owner-occupier mortgage?
Newham's major districts each have a distinct commercial character. Stratford, reshaped by the Olympics, has a large shopping and office centre. East Ham, Forest Gate, Manor Park and Plaistow have long high streets packed with independent retailers, grocers, restaurants, jewellers, travel agents and professional services, many of them family firms that have traded for decades and now want to own their shop.
The south is more industrial. Canning Town, Silvertown and Beckton sit near the river and London City Airport, where wholesalers, food distributors, caterers, vehicle businesses and trade suppliers use warehouses and yards. Those companies are often the ones that benefit most from fixing their occupation costs. Our owner-occupier mortgages page shows how a lender weighs up a Newham company buying its own building.
Newham's shopkeepers, takeaways and security firms
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Newham share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 2,305 | 14.6% | 12.6% |
| Retail | 2,250 | 14.2% | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 1,795 | 11.3% | 13.8% |
| Business support services | 1,455 | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| Information and communication | 1,300 | 8.2% | 6.1% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 1,180 | 7.5% | 6.3% |
| Transport, logistics and storage | 880 | 5.6% | 4.2% |
| Health and social care | 755 | 4.8% | 5.6% |
| Personal and other services | 720 | 4.5% | 4.1% |
- 2.5xsecurity services205 businesses
- 1.9xtravel agencies and tour operators105 businesses
- 1.8xrepair of goods85 businesses
- 1.7xbuilding construction1,090 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Retail is an unusually big slice of Newham's economy. Shops make up 14.2% of the borough's 15,835 businesses against 9.3% nationally, and restaurants and takeaways 7.5%. Security and investigation firms run at 2.54 times the UK share, and betting shops at 1.66 times.
Many shopkeepers in Green Street, East Ham and Forest Gate own or want to own the building, often with a flat above. That counts as semi-commercial, usually priced from 6.5 to 8.5%, with the lender looking at both the shop's trading and the residential tenancy.
How have the DLR, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines changed business property finance in Newham, London?
Transport in Newham has been rebuilt since the 1980s. The Docklands Light Railway opened in 1987, reached Beckton in 1994 and was later extended to London City Airport and to Stratford International in 2011. The Jubilee Line Extension, completed in 1999, brought new or improved stations at Canning Town, West Ham and Stratford, and the Elizabeth line opened through the borough in 2022. Of Newham's 28 stations, only four lack step-free access.
For a valuer, that network widens the pool of businesses that could use a building, which helps relettability. Crossings to the south bank by the Woolwich Ferry, the Woolwich foot tunnel and the Silvertown tunnel also matter for firms delivering across the river.
Stratford and the Royal Docks: offices up 45% on the rating list
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse1,340properties on the rating listUp 0.8% since 2016Average rateable value £62,600factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices1,580properties on the rating listUp 45% since 2016Average rateable value £44,200offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail3,730properties on the rating listUp 5.1% since 2016Average rateable value £43,600shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial1,490properties on the rating listUp 7.2% since 2016Average rateable value £109,500pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Industrial estates near Newham, from Thames Road to Greenshield
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Newham, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- St Marks Industrial EstateLondon E16 2BS
- Saint Marks Industrial EstateLondon E16 2BS
- Thames Road Industrial EstateLondon E16 2EZ
- Greenshield Industrial EstateLondon E16 2AU
- London Industrial EstateLondon E6 6LA
- Huntingdon Industrial EstateLondon E6 6HP
- Segro Business ParkLondon E16 4SP
- Electra Business ParkLondon E16 4ES
- Standard Industrial EstateHenley Rd, London E16 2ES
- Twelvetrees Business ParkLondon E3 3JQ
- Westminster Industrial EstateLondon SE18 5PG
- Ropery Business ParkLondon SE7 7RX
Newham's office stock grew by almost half, up 45% from 1,090 to 1,580 as Stratford and the docks developed. Shops rose 5.1% to 3,730, and industrial stock held at 1,340 units, with an average rateable value of £62,600. The 'other' category averages £109,500, reflecting large venues and leisure sites. More new offices mean better comparable evidence for buyers of modern suites.
What does a commercial property loan in Newham, East London cost up front?
Newham buyers should plan on a loan of 70 to 75% of the lower of price and valuation from lenders active in owner-occupier lending, with 80% reserved for the strongest cases. Indicative rates are 6.0 to 7.5% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation, over 5 to 25 years with fees of 1 to 2%. Stamp Duty Land Tax on non-residential property is 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (HMRC; rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).
Illustrative example. A catering supplier buys a freehold warehouse near Beckton for £600,000. A 75% loan is £450,000, leaving a deposit of £150,000. SDLT is £19,500, so the company needs about £169,500 before legal and valuation fees. The costs page lists the other fees to budget for.
Planning and security for premises finance in Newham borough
Newham London Borough Council is the planning authority. With so much regeneration in Stratford, Canning Town and the riverside, the lawful use of older commercial buildings is something a lender's solicitor will check carefully before completion. Properties close to the Lea or the Thames may also need flood searches.
A first legal charge registered at HM Land Registry protects the lender on a Newham property, normally backed by a debenture or directors' guarantees. Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter. If a deal would sit inside FCA regulation, for example lending to a sole trader or individual, or a property where the borrower or a close family member will live in part of it, we refer it to an appropriately authorised firm. Neighbouring Tower Hamlets and the other boroughs are on our London business mortgages page.
Business districts across Newham
Stratford
The centrepiece of the 2012 Olympic legacy, Stratford combines a major shopping centre, new offices and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Its rail, Underground, DLR, Overground and Elizabeth line links make it a strong office location, and professional and creative firms buy suites here.
East Ham
Once its own county borough, East Ham has one of the borough's busiest high streets, lined with independent retailers, restaurants and service businesses. Family-run shops buying their freehold or a mixed-use building with flats above are typical here.
Canning Town and the Royal Docks
Canning Town is a major interchange on the Jubilee line and DLR, close to London City Airport and the Royal Docks. Wholesale, logistics and food businesses use warehouses and yards in this area, and the airport brings hotels and service firms.
Beckton
At the eastern end of the DLR, reached in 1994, Beckton has retail parks and industrial estates near the North Circular and the A13. Distributors, trade counters and vehicle businesses buy larger sheds and yards here with direct road access.
Forest Gate and Manor Park
Both sit on the Elizabeth line in the north of the borough, with high streets of grocers, restaurants, clinics and specialist retailers. Owner-occupiers here tend to buy a single shop, often with accommodation above.
West Ham and Plaistow
West Ham's station gained Jubilee line services with the 1999 extension, and Plaistow lies just to the east. Local parades, workshops and small industrial units serve trades, food businesses and services across the centre of the borough.
