The East Riding of Yorkshire is a ceremonial county of 2,479 km2 with an estimated population of 631,285 in 2024. Kingston upon Hull, on the Humber Estuary, is its largest settlement, a major port and the county's economic and transport centre. The rest is largely rural, with the seaside resort of Bridlington on the north-east coast and the historic town of Beverley near the centre. Two unitary authorities govern it, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council, and since 2025 they have co-operated through the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority.
We arrange business mortgages for trading companies anywhere in the county that want to buy or refinance their own premises. A business mortgage is a long-term loan secured on the property the company trades from. It is commercial finance, not a residential mortgage, and we arrange it rather than lend it. Our founder, Matt Lenzie, has 25 years in financial services, raising debt and equity, and £400m+ arranged.
Owner-occupier mortgages for rural and coastal firms in East Yorkshire
Away from Hull there are no towns approaching the city's size. The district's business stock is spread through market towns such as Beverley, Driffield, Goole, Market Weighton and Pocklington and the coastal towns of Bridlington, Hornsea and Withernsea. Rural areas hold a greater business stock than urban ones because of the number of agricultural and small businesses: 20% of all VAT registered businesses in the East Riding are in agriculture and related sectors.
That shapes what local companies buy: agricultural engineering yards, food processing units, farm-based workshops, shops in market towns and hospitality premises on the coast. Tourism and food production bring seasonal employment, and lenders examine seasonal trading closely, so two or three years of accounts that show the full annual cycle make a coastal or rural case easier to place. Our page on owner-occupier mortgages explains how affordability is tested.
Hull and the East Riding together: fishing, caravans and farms
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Covers 2 council areas: East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, City of.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | East Riding of Yorkshire share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 3,265 | 13.1% | 12.6% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 2,610 | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| Retail | 2,365 | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| Farming, forestry and fishing | 1,835 | 7.3% | 4.4% |
| Business support services | 1,745 | 7% | 8.1% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 1,700 | 6.8% | 6.2% |
| Health and social care | 1,510 | 6% | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 1,500 | 6% | 4.3% |
| Transport, logistics and storage | 1,335 | 5.3% | 4.2% |
- 2.4xpublic administration455 businesses
- 2.3xfishing and aquaculture70 businesses
- 2.2xwaste and recycling145 businesses
- 2.1xmotor vehicles and parts60 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Taken together, the East Riding and Hull hold 25,005 businesses with an unusual mix of land, sea and factory. Farming, forestry and fishing makes up 7.3% of firms against 4.4% nationally, with 70 fishing and aquaculture businesses at more than twice the UK share. Manufacturing and engineering stands at 6%, and makers of vehicles, trailers and caravans run at 2.07 times the national rate.
There are also 145 waste and recycling businesses, about twice the expected number. Yard-based trades like recycling need environmental permits and careful site investigation, and a lender will usually want both in place before it commits to a loan on the land.
Premises finance near the Humber ports and energy sites of the East Riding, England
Energy is a distinct part of the economy. Easington, on the coast, is the site of a natural gas terminal used for the Langeled pipeline, as well as three other gas terminals operated by BP and Centrica. There are operational wind farms at Lissett in Holderness and Out Newton north of the Humber Estuary. The council is part of the Hull and Humber Ports City Region Partnership with Hull City Council and the two North and North East Lincolnshire councils. Contractors, fabricators and service firms supporting these operations often need yards and workshops close to the Humber.
A major year-round employer is the Defence School of Transport at DST Leconfield, which trains 14,000 personnel a year and provides more than 1,000 civilian jobs. The county's overall unemployment rate is 4.3%, 1.2 percentage points below the national average, with hotspots in Bridlington, Goole and Withernsea.
Ten years of commercial stock change in the Riding
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 warehouse3,310properties on the rating listUp 21.7% since 2016Average rateable value £32,800factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices1,620properties on the rating listUp 15.7% since 2016Average rateable value £9,300offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail2,890properties on the rating listDown 0.7% since 2016Average rateable value £17,200shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial4,490properties on the rating listUp 18.8% since 2016Average rateable value £27,300pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Driffield and Beverley estates: Kelleythorpe, Swinemoor and more
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near East Riding of Yorkshire, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Cranswick Industrial EstateHutton Cranswick, Driffield YO25 9PF
- Firtrees Industrial EstateBeverley HU17 9RT
- Kelleythorpe Industrial EstateDriffield YO25 9DJ
- Kellythorpe Industrial EstateDriffield YO25 9DJ
- The Hall Business ParkBeverley HU17 8HL
- Twydale Business ParkDriffield YO25 6JX
- Priory Road Industrial EstateBeverley HU17 0EW
- Swinemoor Industrial EstateBeverley HU17 0LA
- Driffield Business CentreSkerne Rd, Driffield YO25 6EF
- Beverley Business ParkBeverley HU17 0JW
- Acorn Industrial EstateBeverley HU17 0LD
- Kilnbeck Business ParkBeverley HU17 0LF
These figures cover the East Riding council area, outside Hull. Industrial units have grown 21.7% since 2016, to 3,310, with an average rateable value of £32,800, while 'other' property such as holiday parks, pubs and leisure rose 18.8% to 4,490. Offices are small, averaging £9,300. Newer industrial space gives a buyer modern stock to choose from and gives the valuer fresh evidence.
Commercial property loans in the East Riding: transport, terms and tax
The county has only a short stretch of motorway: part of the M62 links the Hull area to West Yorkshire and the national network, and the M18 passes the district border near Goole. Primary roads include the A63, A164, A165 and A1079. Hull Paragon Interchange is served by the Selby Line and the Yorkshire Coast Line. A unit near the M62 or A63 tends to appeal more widely than a remote rural building, which can affect the loan to value a lender offers.
Indicative owner-occupier terms are 6.0 to 7.5% a year at 70 to 75% loan to value, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Stamp Duty Land Tax applies at 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (HMRC, gov.uk; rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy); see our guide to stamp duty on commercial property.
Illustrative example. An agricultural machinery dealer buys a £350,000 workshop and yard. A 75% loan of £262,500 leaves a deposit of £87,500, and SDLT is £7,000. 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.
Refinancing business premises across Hull and East Yorkshire
Companies that already own their buildings come to us to replace an expiring loan, raise capital for equipment or consolidate debt. Commercial remortgage pricing is indicatively 6.0 to 8.0% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation. We also cover the rest of the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
Towns and areas in the East Riding we cover
Hull
The county's largest settlement and its economic centre, a working port on the Humber with chemical, health care and energy businesses. Companies here buy dockside workshops, warehouses, offices and shops. Our page on commercial mortgages in Hull covers the city in detail.
Beverley
The historic county town near the centre of the East Riding, with a minster, a racecourse and a market town centre. Shops, offices and hospitality premises make up much of the commercial stock, and older buildings may be listed, which lenders allow for at valuation. See our Beverley page.
Bridlington
The seaside resort on the north-east coast, south of Flamborough Head, with several beaches. Hospitality, leisure and retail premises dominate, and seasonal trading is normal. Lenders want to see accounts that cover full years so the quieter winter months are visible alongside the summer peak.
Goole
A market town by the district border, where the M18 passes, with bus services running to Doncaster. Its road access suits distribution and industrial occupiers buying units and yards, the type of property lenders are comfortable funding when the building is in good order.
Driffield
One of the East Riding's market towns, with regular bus links to Beverley. In a county where a fifth of VAT registered businesses are in agriculture and related sectors, agricultural suppliers, engineers, food businesses and town-centre retailers are typical buyers.
Pocklington and Market Weighton
Two of the district's market towns, both on bus routes to Beverley. Their stock is mainly high street shops, small offices and workshops for local trades and professional practices. Lenders assess these on the business's accounts and on the depth of local demand for the building.
Hessle
Part of the Hull urban area but outside the city boundary, so planning sits with East Riding of Yorkshire Council. It suits businesses wanting premises close to Hull and the A63 while sitting within the county authority area.
