Bath is a city in the valley of the River Avon, 11 miles south-east of Bristol and 97 miles west of London, named after its Roman-built baths. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and its Georgian streets of Bath stone, including the Royal Crescent, the Circus and the Assembly Rooms, draw over 6 million visitors a year. The 2021 census counted 94,080 people in the built-up area, the largest in Somerset.
We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from in Bath. We are a broker and never lend. This is commercial finance secured on a working building, not a residential mortgage, and we take each case only to lenders whose criteria fit it.
Which premises do companies in the City of Bath buy?
Manufacturing once mattered here, with cranes from Stothert & Pitt, furniture from Bath Cabinet Makers and stone from Bath & Portland Stone. Wikipedia now describes strong software, publishing and service industries, with Rotork headquartered in the city. Future plc employs around 650, Buro Happold around 400 and IPL around 250. In 2011 education and health accounted for 30,000 jobs, retail, tourism and leisure 14,000, and business and professional services 10,000.
Owner-occupiers reflect that profile. Publishers, engineers, software and design firms buy offices; independent retailers buy shops, and in 2011 half of the city's 400-plus shops were run by independent specialists. Hotels, guest houses, restaurants and bars make up the hospitality side. Our owner-occupier mortgages page explains how lenders assess these purchases.
Publishers, researchers and hotels in Bath
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Figures are for the Bath and North East Somerset local authority area.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Bath share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical | 1,855 | 19% | 14% |
| Construction and building trades | 1,210 | 12.4% | 12.5% |
| Retail | 895 | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| Information and communication | 730 | 7.5% | 6.2% |
| Business support services | 690 | 7.1% | 8.2% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 645 | 6.6% | 6.2% |
| Health and social care | 530 | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| Property | 470 | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Personal and other services | 370 | 3.8% | 4.1% |
- 2.3xpublishing90 businesses
- 2.0xscientific research40 businesses
- 1.8xveterinary practices40 businesses
- 1.5xhotels and accommodation125 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Bath and North East Somerset has 9,780 business units, and professional services lead at 19% of firms, 1.36 times the UK share. Publishing runs at 2.3 times, scientific research at 1.96 times and veterinary practices at 1.82 times. Accommodation, including hotels and guest houses, is 1.54 times the national rate. A hotel buying or refinancing is assessed on trading income, while a publisher or consultancy buying an office is a standard owner-occupier case.
How does a World Heritage setting affect owner-occupier finance in Bath, England?
Most of the central stock is listed Georgian property. Lenders fund it regularly, but valuers look closely at repair liabilities, the cost of maintaining Bath stone, and whether upper floors are commercial or residential. A shop with a flat above is semi-commercial, typically at up to 75% loan to value and indicative rates of 6.5 to 8.5%; see semi-commercial premises.
Geography also counts. The floodplain of the Avon flooded regularly until major control works finished in the 1970s, so riverside buildings still prompt insurance questions. Bath Spa station, designed by Brunel on the Great Western Main Line, links the city to London Paddington, Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton and Weymouth, which helps office occupiers with staff and clients who travel.
Bath's rated premises since 2016
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Figures for the Bath and North East Somerset council area. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse1,590properties on the rating listUp 10.4% since 2016Average rateable value £18,700factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices1,260properties on the rating listUp 14.5% since 2016Average rateable value £24,700offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail1,620properties on the rating listDown 6.4% since 2016Average rateable value £31,100shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial2,150properties on the rating listUp 32.7% since 2016Average rateable value £37,100pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Bath estates, from Brassmill Lane to Pines Way
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Bath, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Newark Works2 Foundry Ln, Bath BA2 3DZ
- Pines Way Industrial Estate6-7 Ivo Peters Rd, Bath BA2 3QS
- The Maltings Industrial Estate7 Brassmill Ln, Bath BA1 3JL
- Brassmill Lane Trading EstateBath BA1 3JQ
- The Ley Business ParkBox, Corsham SN13 8EH
- Treenwood Industrial EstateBradford-on-Avon BA15 2AU
The rating list for Bath and North East Somerset grew 12.2% to 6,610 premises. Other property, which includes hotels and leisure, rose 32.7% and averages £37,100. Offices grew 14.5% and industrial units 10.4%, while shops fell 6.4%. Industrial units average just £18,700, so a workshop on Brassmill Lane or similar can be a modest purchase.
What deposit and tax come with a business property loan in Bath, UK?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending typically advance 70 to 75% of the lower of price and valuation, and up to 80% for strong cases. Indicative pricing is 6.0 to 7.5% a year over 5 to 25 years with arrangement fees of 1 to 2%, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Hotels and restaurants valued on their trade are priced as trading businesses at an indicative 7.0 to 9.0%.
Illustrative example. A software company buys a freehold office in a Georgian terrace for £380,000. A 75% loan of £285,000 leaves a £95,000 deposit. Stamp Duty Land Tax at HMRC's non-residential rates is £8,500 (rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy), so the business needs about £103,500 before legal and valuation fees. Our commercial stamp duty guide explains the bands.
Planning and listed building matters go to Bath and North East Somerset Council, and the lender registers a first legal charge at HM Land Registry. 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. The rest of the county is on our Somerset business mortgages page.
Bath streets and districts where businesses buy
SouthGate and the city centre
SouthGate shopping centre and the Corridor arcade anchor central retail, close to the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and the Pump Room. National retailers and hospitality operators compete for space. Owner-occupiers buying here usually take whole listed buildings with shops below and offices or flats above.
Milsom Street and Stall Street
Wikipedia lists Milsom, Stall and York Streets among the city's artisan shopping areas. Independent retailers, galleries, salons and cafes trade from Georgian frontages here. A lender will look at the trading history and footfall as well as the building's condition and any residential use upstairs.
Walcot
Walcot Street is known for artisan and independent shops. Its mix of small retail units, workshops and food businesses suits makers and owner-managers buying modest premises. Older buildings with irregular layouts are common, so valuations tend to rest on comparable local sales.
Green Park
Green Park station was the terminus for the Midland Railway and the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway until passenger services ended in 1966. Its main building now houses small shops and markets, with a supermarket beyond the train shed. Food and craft traders gravitate to this western edge of the centre.
Oldfield Park
Oldfield Park has a suburban station on the line towards Bristol, served by local trains. Its local shopping streets support convenience stores, takeaways, practices and service businesses buying neighbourhood premises, often with living accommodation above that needs careful handling.
