Exeter

Exeter
Moto
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Road:	M5 at J30 (also accessible to traffic on the A376 and the A379)
Address:	Moto Hospitality Ltd Exeter Motorway Services Area Sidmouth Road Exeter EX2 7HF
Telephone number:	01392 436266
Signposted from the road?	As Burger King/Costa/M&S
Opened:	1977
Previous operators:	Granada
Grid reference:	SX967918
Services type:	Single site located at a junction.
Visit Exeter/Moto's official website

The last services on the M5 (located just before the road splits into two routes across Devon), Exeter sits in an industrial estate and is connected to the local cycle network. Its location means that it can get very busy during holiday times.

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Facilities

General: Local Information, Picnic Tables, Children's Play Area, Showers, Wi-Fi
Restaurants: Eat & Drink Co., Burger King, Harry Ramsden's, Costa Coffee
Shops: WH Smith, Marks and Spencer Simply Food, Ladbrokes
Fuel: BP with pumps for Unleaded, Ultimate Unleaded, Diesel and Ultimate Diesel
Motel: Travelodge^{[book rooms]}

Parking Prices

First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £8 and HGVs £18, or £20 to include a £7.50 food voucher.

Prices can be paid through the phone, with instructions in each car park. They are strictly enforced by CP Plus.

Trivia

Exeter is the most southern motorway service station in the UK and it was the only one with a Harry Ramsden's waitress service. In fact, it was the last one to lose the store all together, although there is still one in a separate building next to the hotel. The hotel's website claims that it offers alcohol, which would be illegal, does anyone know what the story is here?

In March 2006 the services gained a Marks and Spencers store, which was opened by Exeter FC manager Alex Inglethorpe. For quite a while the services didn't have any coffee shops, which was a rarity.

There are plans to extend the lobby area, putting a Costa Coffee stand within it.

There was once a tourist information office here in a separate building, which closed and became Ladbrokes. Around the same time there was an ice cream kiosk operating in the car park, but it was ordered to move.

Granada wanted to use the parcel of land near the entrance to set up a separate shop and car park.

Survey Results

In 2006 the services won a four star loo award and were graded 4/5 by Holiday Which?.

Alternatives

Comments and Reviews

Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.
Author: Message: allen1jeremy I stopped at Exeter Services on my way to Torquay back in 2006 and I had noticed that the services has a automatic car wash on the site, does anyone else know of other service areas that has an automatic car wash. Posted: 22 Aug 2010, 19:10 yvonne Harvey This is a diabolical con at this service area. As a disabled caravanner there is no where to park my outfit.I travel late at night and in early hours and stop in the coach park which is nearer to the toilet facilities and easier for me to use.. Last year I was booked £80 for doing so in the coach park at 01.25am where during that time seven lorries were changing cabs and loads over a two hour period,,, no charge for them!!! I appealed and had the fine annulled but have asked about where I can park this year and was told in no uncertain terms: "In the lorry park, it is not too far to walk but also reminded me I will still have to pay." Then to use the delights of the smelly, dirty toilets and drink weak chocolate in dirty cups. Great... AVOIDING THIS YEAR. Now the land has been sold to CP Plus, to run the carparks it is goodbye Exeter Services. Posted: 23 Jun 2010, 14:43 Anonymous This place is run by a really hard nosed old woman who wouldnt know customer service if it hit her in the face!It has the dirtiest toilets on the motorway network and when i last stopped there my family saw rats running around.. avoid at all costs!! Posted: 15 Jun 2010, 13:13 Anonymous Driving down to Falmouth from west yorkshire to collect a car, it was 12.30 in the morning so decided to pull into Exeter services for a rest. I fell asleep in my car for four hours and drove off to finish my journey. I did not realise that there was a time limit for cars parking and was fined £80. Beware Posted: 30 Mar 2010, 19:33 Anonymous A planning application has been submitted (12/01/10) to expand the main building by around 300 square metres by the front lobby. The new extension will house a relocated WHSmiths, with the old shop being largely used for storage and an expanded games area. Posted: 21 Jan 2010, 17:14 Anonymous Always stop here as since they opened the marks and spencer food I buy a lot of my holiday food here instead of carting it all from home lovely food I must say Posted: 27 Jul 2009, 08:31 Peggy I Posted: 20 Jul 2009, 12:39 James There's a Sainsbury's with a restaurant and petrol station a few miles further on, off the A30, which tends to be cheaper -- take the A377 (the first junction after M5 J31) into Exeter, then follow the signs to "Superstore". Posted: 07 Apr 2009, 15:24 Anonymous A nice station and the last stop in civilisation before the lovely wide open moors of Cornwall. A real pain to get to though, a huge gyroscopic roundabout with roadworks on, leading to another tight and tricky roundabout on a bend with traffic lights on it! There're also 2 ways to get out, one avoids a stop sign and if you go the way with the stop sign then you can be stopped for quite some time, look out for that! Good, clean services though with a Burger King, nice big shop and lots of useful maps, leaflets etc on Devon and Cornwall. Posted: 14 Sep 2008, 15:57 Richard Had an enjoyable (??) visit here once or twice. Can be quite busy, and not the easiest to access. Annoyingly close to J29. Posted: 20 Feb 2006, 18:20
Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.

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With thanks to the user 'Roadhog' for the information used on this page.