East Sussex is a ceremonial county on the English Channel, bordered by Kent, West Sussex and Surrey. Wikipedia gives an estimated population of 844,752 in 2024. Its biggest places are all on the coast: the city of Brighton and Hove in the south-west, Eastbourne in the south and Hastings in the south-east. Inland the county is largely rural, with Crowborough in the north, Hailsham in the middle and Lewes in the west, set between the High Weald and the chalk of the South Downs.
We are a broker and never lend. We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from anywhere in East Sussex. This is commercial finance secured on a trading company's own building, not a residential mortgage.
What premises do East Sussex businesses buy with an owner-occupier mortgage?
Measured by registered companies, East Sussex is not a major manufacturing area. Wikipedia records that in 2023 the largest category of registered company was construction, followed by real estate activities, and that many residents of Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings commute to London or work remotely for firms outside the county. Farming still matters, with 1,720 agricultural holdings in 2022, and fishing fleets survive at Rye and Hastings.
So the typical owner-occupier here is a builder or contractor buying a yard and workshop, a trade supplier buying a unit, a hotel or restaurant on the coast, or a shop, surgery or office in a market town. Most fit an owner-occupier mortgage; seafront and high-street buildings with flats above usually need semi-commercial finance.
East Sussex's creative and building trades by the numbers
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Covers 6 council areas: Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rother, Wealden, Brighton and Hove.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | East Sussex share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical | 6,575 | 15.4% | 13.9% |
| Construction and building trades | 5,655 | 13.3% | 12.5% |
| Retail | 4,035 | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| Business support services | 3,460 | 8.1% | 8.1% |
| Information and communication | 3,415 | 8% | 6.2% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 3,020 | 7.1% | 6.2% |
| Health and social care | 2,480 | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| Property | 1,805 | 4.2% | 4.4% |
| Arts, sport and leisure | 1,680 | 3.9% | 2.9% |
- 2.0xcreative and performing arts920 businesses
- 1.9xfilm, TV and music production905 businesses
- 1.7xpublishing285 businesses
- 1.6xforestry110 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Across the six council areas, including Brighton and Hove, there are 42,605 business units. The creative economy is the distinctive thread: arts and entertainment activities run at twice the UK share, film and music production at 1.86 times and publishing at 1.67 times. Restaurants, cafes and pubs make up 7.1% of firms against 6.2% nationally. Forestry and logging, at 110 units, is a reminder of the Weald's rural side. With 86% of units being micro businesses, most loans are small, and a director's track record carries real weight in the decision.
No motorways: how roads and rail shape business property finance in Sussex's eastern county
East Sussex has no motorways and few dual carriageways. The main roads radiate from London: the A21 from Kent to Hastings, the A22 from Surrey to Eastbourne and the A23 from Gatwick to Brighton. The A26 runs north from Newhaven and Lewes into Kent, and the coastal A259 and A27 link the towns east to west, with the A27 known for congestion. Rail follows a similar pattern, with main-line services only after the branch line closures of the 20th century.
For a lender, those links shape which buildings are easiest to relet. Units near the A27 and A23 corridors, or close to a main-line station, tend to appeal to a wider pool of occupiers than premises in remote villages, which can affect the loan to value on offer.
Offices and other property drive growth across East Sussex
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Totals for Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rother, Wealden, Brighton and Hove. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse8,320properties on the rating listUp 14.8% since 2016Average rateable value £18,100factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices5,730properties on the rating listUp 25.7% since 2016Average rateable value £16,500offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail8,150properties on the rating listDown 1.9% since 2016Average rateable value £24,500shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial11,240properties on the rating listUp 25.4% since 2016Average rateable value £25,500pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Estates across East Sussex, from Ghyll Road to Bexhill Enterprise Park
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near East Sussex, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Ghyll Industrial EstateHeathfield TN21 8AW
- Ghyll Road Industrial EstateGhyll Industrial Estate, Heathfield TN21 8AW
- Barnfield Business ParkEtchingham TN19 7AS
- Rutherfords Business ParkBattle TN33 0TY
- Rutherford Business ParkBattle TN33 0RE
- Firgrove Business ParkCross in Hand, Heathfield TN21 0QL
- Bexhill Enterprise ParkGlovers End, Bexhill-on-Sea TN39 5ES
- Burfield Park Industrial EstateHailsham BN27 3JL
- Bodlam Business ParkBodiam, Robertsbridge TN32 5UP
- Wainwright Road Industrial EstateBexhill-on-Sea TN39 3UR
- Swallow Business ParkHailsham BN27 4BS
- Churchfields Industrial EstateHastings, Saint Leonards-on-sea TN38 9PP
The rating list for the county and Brighton and Hove grew 15.1% to 33,430 premises. Offices rose 25.7% and other property 25.4%, while shops fell 1.9%. Offices here are small and low value, averaging £16,500, so a creative firm buying a suite or converted building is often looking at a modest loan. Industrial units, up 14.8%, average £18,100.
Tax and deposit when buying commercial property in East Sussex, UK
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending typically advance 70 to 75% of the price or valuation, whichever is lower, and up to 80% for strong cases, at indicative rates of 6.0 to 7.5% a year over 5 to 25 years, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Hotels and similar premises valued on their trade are priced at an indicative 7.0 to 9.0%. East Sussex is in England, so Stamp Duty Land Tax applies at 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 on non-residential property (HMRC, rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).
Illustrative example. A building contractor buys a freehold yard with a workshop for £350,000. A 75% loan is £262,500 and the deposit £87,500. SDLT comes to £7,000, so the company needs about £94,500 before legal and valuation fees. Our commercial stamp duty guide sets out every band.
Councils, legal charge and regulation for a commercial property loan in East Sussex, South East England
For local government East Sussex is a non-metropolitan county with five districts, Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rother and Wealden, plus the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove. Planning sits with the council for the site, and the lender's solicitor will confirm the building's lawful use. The lender takes a first legal charge registered at HM Land Registry, often with a debenture or directors' guarantees. 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. See our South East commercial mortgages page for neighbouring counties.
Premises finance in East Sussex's towns
Brighton and Hove
The county's largest settlement and a unitary city in its own right. Tourism, retail, conferences and a growing creative and digital sector drive demand for hotels, restaurants, shops and offices, while Hollingbury Industrial Estate supplies smaller industrial units and retail warehouses. Buyers range from agencies to hoteliers.
Eastbourne
The seaside town in the south lies immediately east of Beachy Head, where the South Downs meet the sea, and is reached by the A22 from Surrey and the A27 along the coast. Victorian hotels line its seafront, and its other trades include retail, healthcare, education, construction and manufacturing, which brings demand for offices and light industrial units.
Hastings
Hastings sits in the south-east where the sandstone and clay of the Weald meet the sea, at the end of the A21 from Kent. It still has a fishing fleet, and its premises include seafront hospitality, old-town shops and industrial units for local trades and manufacturers.
Lewes
Lewes, in the west of the county, sits on the River Ouse as it runs through the chalk of the South Downs towards Newhaven, on the A26 and close to the A27. Its historic centre holds shops, professional offices and hospitality businesses, many in older buildings where a valuer will look at condition and listing.
Newhaven
Newhaven stands where the Ouse reaches the English Channel and is the southern end of the A26. Its port location suits marine, freight, storage and trade businesses, which typically buy industrial units and yards rather than high-street property.
Crowborough
The largest settlement in the north of the county, close to Crowborough Hill in the High Weald. Its commercial property is mostly local shops, offices and small business units, which suit owner-run trades and professional practices serving the surrounding Wealden villages.
Hailsham
A market town in the south-centre of the county, inland from the coastal resorts and within the Wealden district. Builders, agricultural suppliers and other trade businesses are typical buyers of units and yards in towns like this, reflecting the construction-led profile of the county's registered companies.
Rye
Rye, near the Kent border and the River Rother, keeps one of the county's surviving fishing fleets. Its historic streets hold independent shops, inns and restaurants, while marine and fishing businesses need waterside sheds and stores, both of which lenders will value with care.
