Durham is a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham, home to the headquarters of Durham County Council. The built-up area had 50,510 people at the 2021 census. The city sits on a meander of the River Wear that wraps the centre on three sides, and Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Historically the city made hosiery, carpets and mustard and was ringed by collieries; today its biggest employers are Durham University, the council and national government at the land registry and passport office, with tourism and hospitality close behind.
We are Business Mortgages Broker. We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from in Durham and across County Durham. We are a broker, not a lender, and this is finance for a trading business's premises, not a residential mortgage.
Premises finance around Durham Market Place and the peninsula
At the base of the peninsula, the Market Place still hosts regular markets, with the permanent Durham Indoor Market just off it, and the surrounding streets form one of the city's two main shopping areas. Saddler Street runs south-east towards Elvet Bridge, Silver Street leads west to Framwellgate Bridge and North Road, the other main shopping street, and Claypath heads north. The Bailey, running south past Palace Green, is almost entirely owned and occupied by the university and the cathedral.
That leaves a tight, historic commercial core where many buildings are old, listed or both. Shops, cafes and restaurants here often have upper floors in separate use; where those are flats the property is semi-commercial, which our semi-commercial premises page explains, indicatively at 6.5 to 8.5% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation. A valuer will look carefully at condition and repair liabilities on older buildings, so a survey early in the process saves time.
Farms, civil engineers and cafes around Durham city
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Figures are for the County Durham local authority area.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Durham share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 2,560 | 14.1% | 12.5% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 1,830 | 10.1% | 13.8% |
| Retail | 1,790 | 9.9% | 9.3% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 1,440 | 8% | 6.3% |
| Farming, forestry and fishing | 1,350 | 7.5% | 4.5% |
| Business support services | 1,215 | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| Health and social care | 1,090 | 6% | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 1,010 | 5.6% | 4.3% |
| Transport, logistics and storage | 870 | 4.8% | 4.2% |
- 2.5xpublic administration355 businesses
- 2.2xcivil engineering305 businesses
- 1.8xlibraries, museums and heritage60 businesses
- 1.7xrubber and plastics55 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
These figures cover the whole County Durham council area, 18,115 business units. Farming makes up 7.5% of firms against 4.5% nationally. Civil engineering runs at 2.2 times the UK share, and restaurants, cafes and pubs account for 8%, reflecting the city's students and visitors. Museums and cultural businesses appear at 1.83 times the national rate.
Hospitality owners buying a cafe or pub in the city centre should expect a lender to weigh trading figures and seasonality. Civil engineering contractors buying a depot are judged more on accounts and order book.
Owner-occupier mortgages for firms serving the university and visitors in Durham, UK
Durham University, founded in 1832, has a claim to be the third-oldest university in England and is a significant regional employer. The University Hospital of North Durham is close to the centre. Together with the council and government offices, they support a market for professional services, clinics, cafes, printers and student-facing businesses. Visitors to the cathedral and castle, and to events such as the annual Durham Miners' Gala, sustain hotels, restaurants and shops; lenders treat hospitality as a trading-business case, indicatively 7.0 to 9.0% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation.
Getting in and out is straightforward. Durham station is on the East Coast Main Line, served by LNER, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry and Northern, and the A1(M) passes just east of the city with the A167 to the west.
What Durham, England's rating list says about premises supply
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Figures for the County Durham council area. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse4,500properties on the rating listUp 11.7% since 2016Average rateable value £25,100factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices2,380properties on the rating listUp 12.3% since 2016Average rateable value £11,600offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail4,250properties on the rating listDown 0.7% since 2016Average rateable value £18,800shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial5,030properties on the rating listUp 11.3% since 2016Average rateable value £24,500pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Estates in and around Durham, from Dragonville to Belmont
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Durham, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Dragonville Industrial EstateDurham DH1 2XW
- Belmont Business ParkDurham DH1 1GG
- Belmont Industrial EstateDurham DH1 1TW
- Durham Belmont Business CentreDurham DH1 1TH
- Mandale Business ParkDurham
- North Durham Retail ParkPity Me, Durham DH1 5ST
- Elddis Business ParkPity Me, Durham DH1 1TW
- Abbey Road Industrial EstateDurham DH1 5HB
- Abbey Road Retail Business ParkDurham
- Abbeywoods Business ParkPity Me, Durham DH1 5TG
- Abbey Road Business ParkDurham DH1 5JZ
- Meadowfield Industrial EstateDurham
Industrial stock across County Durham rose 11.7% to 4,500 units, with an average rateable value of £25,100. Offices grew 12.3% to 2,380 but average just £11,600. Shops fell 0.7%. Low average values mean many purchases fall within smaller loan sizes, where a strong deposit and two years of accounts carry real weight.
How a commercial property loan works in the Durham area
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending typically lend 70 to 75% of the lower of price and valuation, at indicative pricing of 6.0 to 7.5% a year for an owner-occupied office or shop, subject to status, accounts and valuation, over 5 to 25 years. The tax is Stamp Duty Land Tax: 0% on the first £150,000, 2% on £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (HMRC, rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy). Our costs page shows the fees that come on top.
Illustrative example. A dental practice company buys a £450,000 building off North Road. A 75% loan is £337,500, the deposit £112,500, and SDLT works out at £12,000.
Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter. Where a deal would be regulated, 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.
Durham districts where we arrange premises finance
Market Place and Saddler Street
The historic centre at the neck of the peninsula, with the Market Place, the indoor market and Saddler Street running down to Elvet Bridge. Independent shops, cafes and restaurants buy small, often listed buildings here, and lenders assess the trade as well as the fabric of the building.
North Road and Framwellgate Bridge
West of the river across Framwellgate Bridge, North Road is the city's second main shopping street, running up towards the railway station and viaduct. Shops, takeaways, salons and offices here suit owner-occupiers who want footfall from both residents and students close to the station.
Elvet
Across Elvet Bridge from Saddler Street, Elvet leads towards Durham Prison and the south of the city. Its streets mix hospitality, offices and student-facing businesses, and buildings here are often older properties with upper floors that a valuer will treat separately from the commercial ground floor.
Claypath, Gilesgate and Dragonville
North and east of the Market Place, Claypath curves round towards Gilesgate and Gilesgate Moor, with Dragonville beyond. This side of the city moves from small town-centre premises into retail and trade units, suiting businesses that need parking and vehicle access close to the A1(M).
Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me
Beyond the viaduct to the north, Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me are home to Northumbrian Water. Offices and light industrial units in this part of the city suit companies that want their own building with easier access than the historic centre allows.
