Open a Business in Dorking

Dorking is a beautiful market town with a mix of independent shops, cafés, and professional services in the heart of the affluent Surrey Hills. It has good transport links, a strong local community, and is surrounded by well-known walking and cycling routes.

Street view of Dorking town centre with local shops and historic buildings

Over

370

Town Centre Businesses

Average Dwell Time

30 – 120 mins

Average Dwell Time

Approx

14.9 million

Annual Footfall

Why choose Dorking

Mixed business offering

Independents and brands alike see Dorking as a great place to do business with a vibrant mix of retail, hospitality, leisure and service industries represented.

Outdoor attractions nearby

Local landmarks such as Box Hill, Denbies Wine Estate and the Surrey Hills bring visitors throughout the year.

Active town centre

Events and seasonal promotions run regularly, encouraging repeat visits and helping businesses get noticed.

Good connections

Strong road and rail links to London and across the South East make Dorking easy to reach for customers, staff and suppliers.

How Hello Dorking supports businesses

Promotes the town on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and also through printed guides and literature.
Runs events and campaigns to increase footfall.
Organises networking and training opportunities.
Shares news and updates with the local community.

Download our Commercial Guide to Dorking

Why Dorking works for business

Location – Close to London but without the higher rents, with easy transport links.
Variety – A mix of national brands and independents attracts a broad customer base.
Community – Local residents, workers, and visitors actively use the town’s shops and services.

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The trading relationship with the town is a really positive one and Hello Dorking have been great at building the profile of Cook and providing excellent opportunities for us to showcase our food.

Julie Constable, COOK

Apart from being a beautiful, picturesque market town, it is a great place to do business. It is a busy town fantastically assisted by the BID (Hello Dorking) which works tirelessly to promote the town and the businesses operating within it. It is a wonderful community to be part of and is very much a thriving hub of activity.

Amanda Holden-Guest, Cunningham Eves Solicitors

Personal and business clients enjoy coming to Dorking with its independent shops and it is an attractive town to visit. There is an availability of local staff and as a training office the local schools provide an excellent source of trainees. The town has a good and varied business community.

For professional services businesses it is an excellent base to serve a wide area of clients. Communications are good, rail, road and air give great accessibility. Plus the town as a whole, residents and businesses, like to use local and are always supportive of new ventures.

Margaret Brett, Bullimores Accountants

First time opening a business?

If this is your first time opening a business we’ve put together a handy guide to help the process go as smoothly and successfully as possible.

Guide to opening a business in Dorking

Mole Valley for Business also have lots of free resources you can access, including webinars, networking events, jobs fairs, skills hub and free business advice: Mole Valley for Business – A new business portal from Mole Valley District Council and you can also obtain 1-2-1 Business Support via https://molevalleyforbusiness.co.uk/121-advice/