Taunton is the county town of Somerset, a market town on the River Tone in the Vale of Taunton, between the Quantock, Blackdown and Brendon hills. Its history runs from a 10th-century monastic foundation, rebuilt as Taunton Castle, to the Grand Western Canal of 1839 and the Bristol and Exeter Railway of 1842. The 2021 census counted 61,665 people in the built-up area, and the town is home to Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset County Cricket Club and 40 Commando, Royal Marines.
We are a broker. We arrange commercial mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from in and around Taunton, and we never lend. This is finance secured on a business building, not a residential mortgage. We review your accounts and the property and approach the lenders whose criteria suit it.
What premises do Taunton, Somerset businesses buy?
The UK Hydrographic Office, a Ministry of Defence body, is based on Admiralty Way with a workforce of about 1,100, and Musgrove Park Hospital is another large employer. Cider is produced at many places in and around the town. Wikipedia also notes low unemployment in Taunton Deane in 2005, at 4.1 per cent against a national 5.0 per cent.
Retail is the other pillar. The main shops grew along East Street, North Street and High Street, meeting at Fore Street and the Market House; New Look opened its first store here in 1969, and Hatcher's has traded on the High Street since 1894. Owner-occupiers range from independent retailers and cafes to accountants, solicitors, clinics and the trades serving a wide rural area. Clinics and practices are covered on our professional practice mortgages page.
Farms, cider makers and museums around Taunton
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Figures are for the Somerset local authority area.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Taunton share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 3,820 | 13.4% | 12.5% |
| Farming, forestry and fishing | 3,625 | 12.7% | 4.5% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 3,265 | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| Retail | 2,405 | 8.4% | 9.3% |
| Business support services | 1,915 | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 1,565 | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 1,475 | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Health and social care | 1,425 | 5% | 5.7% |
| Information and communication | 1,185 | 4.1% | 6.1% |
- 3.0xfarming3,535 businesses
- 2.0xveterinary practices130 businesses
- 2.0xdrinks manufacturing and brewing50 businesses
- 1.7xlibraries, museums and heritage90 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Taunton's figures cover the Somerset Council area, 28,585 business units. Farming, forestry and fishing make up 12.7% of firms, 2.84 times the UK share. Beverage makers run at 1.96 times and veterinary practices at 2.03 times. Museums and cultural businesses are 1.74 times the national rate. Manufacturing is 5.2% of firms. A cider maker or farm shop buying premises is assessed as a trading business, and agricultural property often needs a specialist valuer.
How do the M5 and the rail network affect premises finance in Taunton, England?
Taunton has two nearby M5 junctions, 25 for the town and 26 at Wellington, and the A38 and A358 add further links. The Taunton bypass section of the motorway opened in 1974. The station is a principal stop on the Bristol to Exeter line, the Reading to Taunton line and the Cross Country Route, with Great Western Railway trains to London Paddington and CrossCountry services to Birmingham, the North and Scotland.
Retail parks followed the motorway link: Priory Fields opened in 1985 beside the road to the M5, and Hankridge Farm, closer to the junction, was established by 1992. For a lender, units near junction 25 are easy to value because the demand is visible. Town-centre shops depend on footfall and the valuer will compare them with similar local sales.
Somerset's industrial units up 29.3%
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Figures for the Somerset council area. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse8,130properties on the rating listUp 29.3% since 2016Average rateable value £22,000factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices2,990properties on the rating listUp 21.5% since 2016Average rateable value £12,700offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail4,380properties on the rating listUnchanged since 2016Average rateable value £26,100shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial7,430properties on the rating listUp 13.8% since 2016Average rateable value £22,900pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Taunton estates, from Priorswood to Creech Mills
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Taunton, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Exchange House Business Centre12-14 The Crescent, Taunton TA1 4EB
- Priorswood Industrial EstateTaunton TA2 8DG
- Crown Industrial EstateTaunton TA2 8RX
- Blackbrook Business ParkTaunton TA1 2PX
- Hyde Business ParkBathpool, Taunton TA2 8BU
- Courtlands Industrial EstateNorton Fitzwarren, A358, Taunton TA2 6NS
- Creech Mills Business ParkCreech St Michael, Taunton TA3 5PX
- Creech Business ParkMill Ln, Creech Paper Mill, Creech St Michael, Taunton TA3 5PX
- Hatch Mews Business ParkTaunton TA3 6SE
Industrial units in the Somerset Council area rose 29.3% since 2016 to 8,130, and offices 21.5%. Shops were unchanged at 4,380. Average values are modest: £22,000 for industrial and £12,700 for offices. For a Taunton firm, rising stock means more choice of unit near the motorway junction and plenty of comparable evidence when the bank instructs its surveyor.
What deposit and tax does an owner-occupier loan in Taunton, UK require?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending generally 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 usually 1 to 2%, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Our costs page lists the fees to budget for.
Illustrative example. An accountancy practice buys a freehold office near the town centre for £320,000. A 75% loan is £240,000, leaving an £80,000 deposit. Stamp Duty Land Tax at HMRC's non-residential rates is £5,500 (rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy), so the firm needs about £85,500 before legal and valuation costs.
Planning sits with Somerset Council, the unitary authority, and the lender takes a first legal charge registered 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. See business mortgages in Somerset for the rest of the county.
Taunton districts and nearby towns for premises buyers
Town centre and Fore Street
East Street, North Street and High Street meet at Fore Street and the Market House, and smaller retailers trade on side streets such as Bath Place and St James Street. Independent shops, cafes and professional offices buy here. Older buildings often have upper floors that a lender will want classified clearly.
Priory Fields
Priory Fields retail park opened in 1985 alongside the link road to the M5. Its larger units suit retailers and trade counters that need parking and quick motorway access. Buyers here are usually purchasing a standalone building rather than a unit in a shared parade.
Hankridge Farm
Closer to junction 25, Hankridge Farm was established by 1992 when a large Sainsbury's opened. Retail warehouses and roadside units dominate. Companies that want visibility from the motorway approach and space for deliveries look at this part of the town.
Admiralty Way
The UK Hydrographic Office is located on Admiralty Way. Its presence supports suppliers, contractors and service businesses, and office-based firms with links to defence and marine data are among those that look for premises nearby.
Wellington and Norton Fitzwarren
Wellington is served by junction 26 of the M5, and Norton Fitzwarren is home to 40 Commando Royal Marines. Both sit on the edge of the Taunton area. Trades, manufacturers and service firms buy workshops and small industrial units here at a distance from the town centre.
