The town of Bellingham is only a few miles from Tarset's southern boundary near Lanehead. This busy spot includes food, hardware, health, newsagents and outdoor activity shops, post office, cafes, Chinese take-away, hairdressers and a pharmacy. Two garages provide vehicle maintenance services, and one sells petrol and diesel. Local businesses include Kielder Organic Meats, Simon Fraser Photography, and Neil Denham Photographer. The Co-operative foodstore is open until late into the evening and someone manages to have a wider range of stock than larger supermarkets. The area's middle school is located in Bellingham. There is an indoor market on the third Saturday of every month at Bellingham Town Hall from 09:00-13:30 hrs.
Community organisations, activities and places, which Tarset residents take part in, include:
For both locals and visitors to the area, the Heritage Centre is co-located with the tourist information centre—it is well worth a visit. The annual Bellingham Agricultural Show draws crowds from a wide area.