Wigan lies 16 miles north-west of Manchester and 17 miles north-east of Liverpool, and is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in the far north-west of Greater Manchester. It grew as a mill town in a large coal mining district; mining ended in the later 20th century, and the warehouses and wharves of Wigan Pier on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal became a heritage centre and cultural quarter. Manufacturing has stayed central to the local economy. H. J. Heinz runs a 55-acre food manufacturing facility in Wigan, described as the largest food processing facility in Europe, and the town is home to Galloways Bakers and to William Santus and Co, maker of Uncle Joe's Mint Balls.
We are a broker that arranges business mortgages for trading companies buying or refinancing the premises they occupy. We do not lend, and the finance here is for commercial premises used by a business, not a residential mortgage.
Which companies buy their own premises in Wigan, England?
The 2001 census recorded 22.4% of Wigan residents working in retail and wholesale and 18.8% in manufacturing, both well above the figures for England at the time. That profile still describes the typical buyer we see: food and drink producers in the supply chain around the big manufacturers, wholesalers needing warehouse space, retailers, and service firms. The Tote chain of bookmakers and DW Sports Fitness both have their headquarters here, which shows that national businesses can be run from Wigan as well as local ones.
An owner-occupier mortgage is a long-term loan secured on a building the borrowing company trades from. Lenders active in owner-occupier lending start with the accounts, then value the building on its own merits and on how readily another business could use it. Indicative pricing is 6.0 to 7.5% a year at 70 to 75% loan to value, over 5 to 25 years, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Our owner-occupier mortgage page explains what to prepare.
Wigan's builders, hauliers and timber firms
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Wigan share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 1,835 | 16.8% | 12.4% |
| Retail | 1,205 | 11.1% | 9.4% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 1,190 | 10.9% | 13.8% |
| Business support services | 805 | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 755 | 6.9% | 6.2% |
| Transport, logistics and storage | 665 | 6.1% | 4.2% |
| Health and social care | 660 | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 580 | 5.3% | 4.3% |
| Personal and other services | 530 | 4.9% | 4.1% |
- 1.9xpostal and courier services250 businesses
- 1.8xtimber and wood products65 businesses
- 1.7xwaste and recycling50 businesses
- 1.6xspecialist building trades1,310 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Building trades make up 16.8% of Wigan's 10,900 businesses against 12.4% nationally, with specialist contractors at 1.55 times the UK share. Transport and logistics account for 6.1%, and couriers run at 1.95 times. Wood product manufacturers appear at 1.84 times, and the motor trade at 4.5% of firms.
Contractors and hauliers buying a yard near the M6 need lenders who understand outdoor storage and fleet. Lenders look at turnover through the year and how much work comes from a single main contractor.
Rail links and regeneration: what they mean for commercial property loans in the Wigan area
Wigan has two town centre stations. Wigan North Western is on the electrified West Coast Main Line, with Avanti West Coast services to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, Carlisle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Wigan Wallgate carries east to west routes to Southport, Bolton and Manchester. The bus station reopened in late 2018 after a £15.7 million redevelopment. For a distribution or field-service business, being able to reach Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington with equal ease is part of the case for buying here.
The town centre has been reshaped too. The Grand Arcade opened in March 2007 on the site of Wigan Casino and The Ritz, the council bought The Galleries Shopping Centre in 2018 as part of a regeneration plan, and the area around the pier is being rebranded as the Wigan Pier Quarter. A lender will consider where a shop sits in that picture, so a buyer should know the plans for the street.
Wigan, UK: industrial units up 14% since 2016
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 warehouse3,020properties on the rating listUp 14% since 2016Average rateable value £28,600factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices1,370properties on the rating listUp 9.6% since 2016Average rateable value £12,300offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail2,900properties on the rating listDown 2.4% since 2016Average rateable value £19,000shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial2,540properties on the rating listUp 3.7% since 2016Average rateable value £24,200pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Wigan's estates and business parks, from Swan Meadow to Sovereign
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Wigan, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Mill 2000 Business CentreBusiness Centre, Wood St, Wigan WN3 4HL
- Sovereign Business ParkWigan WN1 3AP
- Swan Meadow Industrial EstateWigan WN3 5BE
- Eckersley Mill & Swan Meadow Industrial EstateWigan WN3 5BD
- Richards Street Industrial EstateInce-in-Makerfield, Wigan WN3 4JN
- Cricket Street Business ParkWigan WN6 7TP
- Eleanor Street Business ParkWigan WN3 5AQ
- Miry Lane Industrial EstateWigan WN6 7TG
- Pagefield Industrial EstateWigan WN6 7LA
- Woodhouse Lane Industrial EstateWigan WN6 7NF
- Dobson Park Industrial EstateWigan WN2 2DY
- Pioneer Industrial EstateWigan WN5 9DN
Industrial stock in Wigan rose from 2,650 to 3,020 units, up 14%, with an average rateable value of £28,600. Offices grew 9.6% to 1,370, averaging £12,300. Shops fell 2.4% to 2,900, at an average rateable value of £19,000. More units give contractors and logistics firms more choice when buying, and recent transactions help valuers support the price.
Tax, security and the sums on premises finance in Wigan, UK
Wigan is in England, so Stamp Duty Land Tax is due at HMRC's non-residential rates: 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy). The lender takes a first legal charge, registered at HM Land Registry, and Wigan Council is the planning authority.
Illustrative example. A food wholesaler buys a warehouse for £700,000. A 75% loan is £525,000 and the deposit £175,000. SDLT is £24,500, plus legal and valuation fees, all from the company's own funds; our costs page sets out the full list. Retail buyers often look at shops with flats above in the older streets, which lenders treat as semi-commercial premises. Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter; where a deal would be regulated, we refer it to an appropriately authorised firm.
Wigan districts and estates for owner-occupiers
Wigan Pier Quarter
Around the old wharf on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, the Pier Quarter is the focus of a multi-million pound regeneration. Trencherfield Mill, at its centre, has been refurbished for apartments and office space, giving professional and creative firms a route to owning canal-side offices.
Westwood Park
Built in 2006 on the site of the former Westwood power station, Westwood Park is a business park with a large amount of Wigan Council office space. Companies wanting modern business park offices, rather than a town centre floor, look here.
Town centre
The Grand Arcade and The Galleries anchor the shopping core, with an indoor market in The Galleries. Retailers, cafes and service businesses buy freehold shops in the surrounding streets, and lenders read the regeneration plans alongside the trading accounts.
Orrell
Orrell forms part of the tightly integrated Wigan conurbation to the west of the town. Trade businesses and small manufacturers buy units here for access towards Skelmersdale and Liverpool, and lenders look at building specification and road access.
Standish
Linked to Wigan by ribbon development to the north, Standish has a local centre with shops and professional services. Practices and independent retailers buy premises here, often smaller freeholds where the business's own trading record carries the application.
