Cornwall is a ceremonial county in South West England, the westernmost part of the South West Peninsula and one of the Celtic nations. The Atlantic lies to the north and west, the English Channel to the south and Devon across the Tamar to the east. Wikipedia gives an estimated population of 585,655 in 2024 for a largely rural county whose biggest urban area is the Redruth and Camborne conurbation. Truro is its only city and the home of Cornwall Council.
We are a broker. We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from anywhere in Cornwall, and we never lend. This is commercial finance on a working company's own building, not a residential mortgage. We look at your accounts and the property, then approach the lenders whose criteria fit the deal.
What premises do Cornish businesses buy with an owner-occupier mortgage?
Tin and later copper mining drove the Cornish economy for centuries, and china clay extraction became a major industry after the mines declined. Wikipedia notes that china clay, fishing and farming have all declined since the 1960s. Today the county depends heavily on tourism, estimated to contribute up to 24% of Cornwall's gross domestic product, with five million visitors a year and £1.85 billion brought into the economy in 2011.
That makes hospitality the biggest single group of buyers: hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafés, surf schools and seaside shops. Lenders treat these as trading businesses, valued partly on the trade they generate, at indicative rates of 7.0 to 9.0% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Beyond tourism, companies buy workshops, builders' yards, food production units, boatyards and offices in the towns.
Cornwall is one of the poorer parts of the UK by GDP per head, and lenders know that. A firm with steady accounts can still borrow on standard terms; our page on owner-occupier mortgages sets out what they look for.
Farming, fishing and holiday trade across Kernow
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Covers 2 council areas: Cornwall, Isles of Scilly.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Cornwall share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 4,185 | 13.9% | 12.5% |
| Farming, forestry and fishing | 3,910 | 12.9% | 4.4% |
| Retail | 2,900 | 9.6% | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 2,865 | 9.5% | 14% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 2,285 | 7.6% | 6.2% |
| Business support services | 1,970 | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| Health and social care | 1,430 | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 1,405 | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Property | 1,050 | 3.5% | 4.5% |
- 7.8xfishing and aquaculture290 businesses
- 4.8xwater transport65 businesses
- 3.6xhotels and accommodation900 businesses
- 3.6xquarrying45 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly hold 30,195 business units, and the land and sea dominate. Farming, forestry and fishing make up 12.9% of firms, nearly three times the UK share, and fishing alone runs at 7.84 times. Accommodation businesses are 3.6 times the national rate. Professional services are low at 9.5%. Farm and fishing businesses buying premises often need specialist lenders, and hotels and guest houses are underwritten as trading businesses, with seasonal income a key question.
How do the A30, A38 and Tamar crossings affect commercial property loans in Kernow?
Three main roads tie Cornwall to the rest of Britain. The A30 links to the M5 at Exeter, crosses the border south of Launceston and runs over Bodmin Moor through Bodmin, Truro, Redruth, Camborne and Hayle to Penzance. The A38 crosses the Tamar at Plymouth by the Tamar Bridge into Saltash. The A39 Atlantic Highway comes in from Barnstaple, through North Cornwall, to end at Falmouth. Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge carries the railway, and the Torpoint Ferry crosses the Hamoaze.
Visitors also arrive through Newquay's airport, with Perranporth airfield taking private flights, and sleeper and daily trains run to London. For a lender, a unit close to the A30 is likely to have a wider market than one on a lane on the Lizard, which affects the loan to value on offer. Remote rural premises are still fundable when the business behind them is sound.
Cornish premises: other property up 37%
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Totals for Cornwall, Isles of Scilly. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse7,860properties on the rating listUp 11.6% since 2016Average rateable value £16,300factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices3,040properties on the rating listUp 19.2% since 2016Average rateable value £9,400offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail5,800properties on the rating listDown 0.7% since 2016Average rateable value £21,100shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial19,940properties on the rating listUp 37% since 2016Average rateable value £12,400pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Cornish estates, from Moorland Road to Indian Queens
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Cornwall, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Moorland Road Industrial ParkSaint Columb TR9 6FB
- A30 Business ParkIndian Queens, Saint Columb TR9 6FZ
- Moorland Road Industrial EstateIndian Queens, Saint Columb TR9 6JP
- Indian Queens Industrial EstateIndian Queens, Saint Columb TR9 6TL
- St Dennis Industrial EstateWhitegate Meadows, St Dennis, Saint Austell PL26 8DW
- Treviscoe Business ParkSaint Austell PL26 7QL
- St Columb Industrial EstateSaint Columb TR9 6SF
- St Columb Major Industrial EstateSaint Columb TR9 6SF
- Whitecross Industrial EstateNewquay TR8 4HN
- Trendale Industrial ParkSaint Austell PL26 8HY
- Victoria Business ParkRoche, Victoria, Saint Austell PL26 8LX
- Gwindra Industrial EstateSt Stephen, Saint Austell PL26 7LE
Cornwall's rating list grew 22.3% to 36,650 premises since 2016. The biggest increase was in other property, up 37% to 19,940, a category that includes self-catering, leisure and hospitality buildings. Industrial units rose 11.6% and offices 19.2%. Average values are low, £16,300 for industrial and £9,400 for offices, which keeps many purchases at a modest size.
What does premises finance in Cornwall, England need up front?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending typically advance 70 to 75% of the purchase price or valuation, whichever is lower, rising to 80% for strong cases, over terms of 5 to 25 years. Indicative owner-occupier pricing is 6.0 to 7.5% a year with arrangement fees of about 1 to 2%, subject to status, accounts and valuation.
Cornwall is part of England for property tax, so HMRC's Stamp Duty Land Tax applies at 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).
Illustrative example. A surf equipment maker buys a freehold workshop for £250,000. A 75% loan is £187,500, leaving a £62,500 deposit. SDLT is £2,000, so the business needs about £64,500 before fees. The full bands sit in our guide to stamp duty on commercial property.
Who deals with planning and security for business property finance across Cornwall, South West England?
Most of Cornwall is a single unitary authority area under Cornwall Council, based in Truro; the Isles of Scilly have their own unique local authority. A lender's solicitor will check the planning history with the council to confirm the current use is lawful, which matters in conservation areas, harbours and the Cornwall National Landscape.
The lender takes a first legal charge registered at HM Land Registry, usually with a debenture or director 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. Neighbouring counties appear on our South West commercial mortgages page.
Commercial mortgages in Cornwall's towns
Truro
Cornwall's only city and county town is a centre for administration, shopping and leisure, home to Cornwall Council, the Hall for Cornwall and the county courts. Professional firms, retailers and healthcare businesses buy offices and shops here, many in historic buildings near the cathedral.
Redruth and Camborne
The county's largest urban area grew as a centre of the global tin mining industry in the 19th century, with productive copper mines nearby. Both towns sit on the A30. Engineers, builders' merchants, trade counters and manufacturers buy industrial units and former mine-era buildings here.
St Austell
The centre of Cornwall's china clay industry is also close to the Eden Project. Owner-occupiers range from clay-industry suppliers and engineering firms to pubs, shops and hospitality businesses serving visitors to the area.
Newquay
Newquay on the north coast was the county's most populous built-up area at the 2021 census and is known for its beaches and surfing. It is also becoming important for aviation-related industries. Hotels, surf businesses, cafés and aerospace suppliers are typical buyers.
Falmouth
Falmouth is a notable port and was the most populous parish in Cornwall at the 2021 census. The A39 ends here. Marine engineers, boatyards, chandlers and hospitality businesses buy harbour-side and town-centre premises, and lenders will look at how specialised waterfront sites are.
Penzance and St Ives
Penzance in the far west sits at the end of the A30 and the main railway line, while St Ives is a small vessel port with a major tourism and leisure sector. Shops, galleries, restaurants and hotels make up most owner-occupier purchases.
Saltash and Bodmin
Saltash, in the extreme south-east, is the gateway from Plymouth over the Tamar Bridge, which suits trade and distribution firms serving both sides of the river. Bodmin, on the A30 by the moor, gives central access for contractors and service businesses covering the whole county.
