The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is an Outer London borough formed in 1965 from the municipal boroughs of Richmond and Barnes, then in Surrey, and Twickenham on the Middlesex bank. It is the only London borough to straddle the Thames. Its population is 198,019, and its main communities are Barnes, East Sheen, Mortlake, Kew, Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton. In 2023 it topped Rightmove's Happy at Home index.
We arrange business mortgages and never lend. Our clients are trading companies buying or refinancing the premises they occupy anywhere in the borough. The loan is secured on that commercial building, which makes it a separate product from a residential mortgage, however close the two markets sit here. We review your accounts and the premises, then approach the lenders whose criteria fit a Richmond upon Thames business.
Which businesses in Richmond, south-west London buy their premises with a commercial property loan?
About half of the borough is parkland, and most of the rest is residential. Wikipedia says most businesses here are in retail, property improvement and development, and professional services. That matches what we see: independent shops and restaurants in Richmond and Twickenham, builders and interior firms needing a yard or workshop, and accountants, solicitors, architects and consultants wanting their own office.
Visitors add a hospitality layer. Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace, Twickenham Stadium and the WWT London Wetlands Centre draw domestic and international tourism, supporting cafes, pubs and hotels. The borough is also the centre of London's German business and expatriate community, with the German School London. Our guide to owner-occupier mortgages explains how lenders assess a company buying the building it trades from.
Consultants, film-makers and head offices in the Richmond area
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Richmond upon Thames share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical | 3,360 | 24.9% | 13.9% |
| Information and communication | 1,740 | 12.9% | 6.1% |
| Business support services | 1,170 | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| Retail | 1,075 | 8% | 9.4% |
| Construction and building trades | 1,005 | 7.4% | 12.5% |
| Health and social care | 740 | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 710 | 5.3% | 6.2% |
| Arts, sport and leisure | 700 | 5.2% | 3% |
| Property | 665 | 4.9% | 4.4% |
- 3.7xfilm, TV and music production575 businesses
- 2.9xcreative and performing arts415 businesses
- 2.4xadvertising and market research265 businesses
- 2.4xmanagement consultancy1,665 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Professional and technical services make up 24.9% of Richmond upon Thames' 13,530 firms, against 13.9% across the UK. Information and communication runs at 2.1 times the national share. Film, television and music production firms appear at 3.74 times the UK rate, and head offices and management consultancies at 2.4 times, 1,665 of them.
Building trades are under-represented at 7.4% against 12.5%. A consultancy or production company buying its own office in Twickenham or Teddington is a standard owner-occupier case, typically priced in the 6.0 to 7.5% range when profits are steady.
Do house prices and parkland affect owner-occupier finance in Richmond upon Thames, London?
Parts of the borough, including Barnes, Richmond, St Margarets and much of East Sheen, rank among the highest house-price districts in Outer London. With 140 hectares of Metropolitan Green Belt and so much protected open space, commercial floor space is limited, and buildings on mixed streets often have residential value above. A lender values the commercial case, not the hope of conversion.
Transport is another factor. The District line and London Overground's Mildmay line serve only Richmond and Kew Gardens; the rest of the borough relies on South Western Railway services into central London and out to Reading, from stations such as Twickenham, Teddington, Hampton and Mortlake. Shops and offices close to those stations are the easiest for a valuer to support.
Richmond, south-west London: offices down 16% in a decade
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 warehouse500properties on the rating listDown 9.1% since 2016Average rateable value £31,300factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices1,470properties on the rating listDown 16% since 2016Average rateable value £35,400offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail2,050properties on the rating listUp 0.5% since 2016Average rateable value £30,800shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial1,620properties on the rating listUp 11% since 2016Average rateable value £58,700pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Business parks around Richmond, from Teddington to St Clare
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Richmond upon Thames, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Teddington Business Park12 Station Rd, Teddington TW11 9BQ
- Saint Clare Business ParkHampton TW12 1ND
- ST.Clare Business ParkHampton TW12 1QH
- Hill Business ParkHampton TW12 1NP
- St Georges Industrial EstateKingston upon Thames KT2 5BQ
- Canbury Business ParkKingston upon Thames KT2 6HL
- Canbury WorksUnits 6 & 7, Elm Cres, Kingston upon Thames KT2 6HJ
- Fairfield Industrial EstateKingston upon Thames KT1 3AY
- Kingsway Business ParkHampton TW12 2HD
- Kingsmill Business ParkChapel Mill Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT1 3GZ
- Sandfield Industrial EstateHampton TW12 2HT
- Adams Industrial EstateNew Malden KT3 3SQ
Richmond has lost office space: the count is down 16%, from 1,750 to 1,470. The offices that remain average a rateable value of £35,400. Industrial stock fell 9.1% to 500 units, while the 'other' category grew 11%. With shrinking stock, buyers of small offices and workshops face limited choice, and valuers have fewer local sales to compare against.
What does business property finance in the Borough of Richmond cost up front?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending generally lend 70 to 75% of the lower of the price and valuation on Richmond upon Thames property, with 80% for strong cases. Indicative pricing is 6.0 to 7.5% a year, terms of 5 to 25 years and arrangement fees of 1 to 2%, all subject to status, accounts and valuation. 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 building contractor buys a freehold office and yard in Twickenham for £800,000. A 75% loan is £600,000, so the deposit is £200,000. SDLT is £29,500, taking the cash needed to about £229,500 before fees. Our commercial stamp duty guide sets out the bands.
Planning, river frontage and security on premises finance in Richmond-upon-Thames
Planning sits with the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The borough has 21 miles of river frontage, and the Thames becomes tidal at Teddington Lock, so riverside buildings may need flood searches and suitable insurance. A lender's solicitor will also confirm that the building's lawful use matches your trade.
Richmond borrowers give the lender a first legal charge at HM Land Registry, usually with a debenture or directors' guarantees alongside. Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter. Where the FCA would regulate the deal, 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 Hounslow and the rest of the capital are on our London business mortgages page.
Business districts across Richmond upon Thames
Richmond
The town centre beside Richmond Park and Old Deer Park combines shops, restaurants, pubs and offices, with District line, Overground and rail services. Professional firms buy office floors here, and retailers and restaurateurs compete for street units with high visitor footfall.
Twickenham and Whitton
On the Middlesex bank, Twickenham is home to Twickenham Stadium and a busy town centre. Builders, trade suppliers and service firms look for workshops and yards around the edges, while restaurants and bars benefit from match-day crowds. Whitton adds a local high street.
Teddington
Home to the National Physical Laboratory and the tidal limit of the Thames at Teddington Lock. Its high street suits independent shops, cafes and professional offices, and scientific and technical consultancies may want space near the laboratory.
Kew
Kew Gardens and The National Archives bring visitors and researchers. The small village centre around the station holds cafes, restaurants and specialist shops, and commercial units here are scarce, so owners often buy to secure a long-term base.
Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen
South of the river towards Hammersmith, these districts have village high streets with independent retailers, delis, restaurants and estate agents. The WWT London Wetlands Centre is in Barnes. Mixed-use buildings with flats above are the usual stock.
Hampton and Hampton Wick
In the far south-west near Hampton Court Palace and Bushy Park, these areas have small parades and riverside businesses. Hospitality operators serving palace and park visitors are among the owner-occupiers here.
