Exeter
| Exeter and 'Wyvern Barracks'
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Contents |
The Patch
SFA military housing is located on Barrack Road, Exeter, and whilst some have been sold off, there are still quarters available on Barrack Road - named, funnily enough, as it's where Wyvern Barracks are located.
Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM)
The Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) is based near Exeter in Exmouth, and provides a wide range of facilities, which include a fully equipped gymnasium, fitness suite, indoor swimming pool, football and rugby pitches and tennis courts. PT staff arrange different activities and will provide more information on the same when contacted.
Lympstone HIVE
Lympstone HIVE, Commando Training Centre RM, Lympstone, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 5AR (Phone 01392 414337 or Mil 93785 4337)
The camp also has other facilities: a brand new Learning Centre, with PCs with Internet access, Library, Education and Resettlement Centre, Chaplaincy, Amenities Office, Barber, Spar/NAAFI Shop, Tailors Shop, Bank, UIF Shop, Boat House and Activity Centre.
Area Overview
Exeter city is the second largest city in Devon (Plymouth being the largest) but is the capital of the county. Exeter contains the oldest Guildhall in Britain (1468) and it is still in use today. Within is contained the oldest civic seal in England (1175). It's a really lovely place to live, with lots to do, friendly locals - not to mention the odd crusty hanging around - and after a couple of weeks, even the most aloof person is on first name terms with the local buskers (some of which are rather good!) Overall, it's a fairly safe-feeling place to live and has "something for everyone".
Exeter is a city full of character, from ancient historical buildings right through to a recently modernised shopping centre Princess Hay which makes it a cosy yet comfortable place to be. There are a wide range of bars, restaurants and entertainment venues - probably not up to the standard of Bristol or other much larger cities, of course - but there is something for everyone in Exeter.
Exeter is the capital city of Devon and provides the county with a central base for education, medicine, religion, commerce and culture. The city is also home to the magnificent Exeter Cathedral, which dates back to Norman times, and is a huge tourist attraction. The Cathedral Green in the summer teams with locals and tourists, enjoying the sunshine and the surrounding little cafés and restaurants.
Children and Education
Following the reorganisation of the school system in 2005, there are 25 primary schools, 4 referral schools, 3 special schools and 5 secondary schools within Exeter. There are several language schools in the city, which often look for host families for foreign students - both children and adults - over the course of the year. Below are a small selection.
Universities
- The University of Exeter has two campuses in the city, and is one of the largest employers in the city. It is one of the four main sites of the University of Plymouth and both operate the Peninsula Medical School.
Higher Education Colleges
- Exeter College is a major further education college. It operates as a sixth form for the entire maintained school sector in the city.
- West Exe Technology College is the largest school in Exeter, and is achieving the second highest exam results in the county of Devon.
- Exeter Tutorial College is a small independent college on Magdalen Road.
Private & Independent
- Exeter School is the oldest of several independent schools in the city.
Secondary Schools
The secondary schools are:
- Isca College of Media Arts (formerly Priory High School).
- St James' School (formerly St James' High School).
- St Luke's (Church of England) Science & Sports College (formerly Vincent Thompson High School).
- St Peter's Church of England Aided School - a language college.
- West Exe Technology College (formerly St Thomas High School.
Special Needs & Child Development
- Honeylands is a local multi disciplinary specialist child development centre. They provide initial and continuing assessment for pre-school children and intervention and treatment, working in partnership with parents.
- Exeter is also home to the Royal West of England School for the Deaf & the West of England School for the Partially Sighted. Email them here.
- The Atkinson Unit is a secure specialist residential and educational complex for children in care or remanded by the courts.
Transport and Travel
By Car
The M5 motorway to Bristol and Birmingham starts at Exeter, and connects at Bristol with the M4 to London and South Wales. The older A30 road provides a more direct route to London via the A303 and M3. The M5 is the modern lowest bridging point of the River Exe.
The A38 connects Exeter to Plymouth and south east Cornwall, whilst the A30 continues via Okehampton to north and west Cornwall.
Travel by car in the city is often difficult with regular jams centred on the Exe Bridges area. To address the problem, Devon County Council is considering the introduction of congestion charges.
By Bus
Exeter's main operator of local buses is Stagecoach South West, which operates most of the services in the city. Stagecoach buses are under constant criticism but despite this, they have just recently (March 2010) won the contract for ongoing bus services in the city. Hope springs eternal that the service improves. On busy routes in the morning, it isn't unknown for a bus driver to simply drive away from a queue of people waiting at the bus-stop because "he's full". Dartline is another, albeit minor, operator in the City.
The High Street, pedestrianised except for bus and bicycle traffic, serves as the main hub for local buses.
Country and express services operate from the city's bus station, in Paris Street, which intersects the High Street at its eastern end; some also call at Exeter St Davids railway station for direct connection to train services.
Country bus services, mostly operated by Stagecoach, run from Exeter to most places in East and North Devon, but some are very infrequent. Regional express services run to Plymouth, Torbay, Bude, and along the Jurassic Coast to Lyme Regis and Weymouth, some operated by Stagecoach and others by First Bus. National Express operates long distance routes, for example to Heathrow and London and provide a cheap alternative to the trains to London. The service is, apparently, quite reliable and an economical option.
By Train
Exeter is served by two main railway stations: Exeter St David's and Exeter Central Station.
There are two main line railway routes from Exeter to London, the faster route via Taunton to London Paddington and the slower West of England Main Line via Salisbury to London Waterloo.
Another main line, the Cross-Country Route, links Exeter with Bristol, Birmingham, the Midlands, Leeds, Northern England, and Scotland. Many trains on all three lines continue westwards from Exeter, variously serving Torbay, Plymouth and Cornwall. Local branch lines run to Paignton (see Riviera Line), Exmouth (see Avocet Line) and Barnstaple (see Tarka Line). There is also a summer weekend service to Okehampton for access to Dartmoor. Exeter St Davids is served by all services, whilst Exeter Central is more convenient for the city centre but served only by local services and the main line route to London Waterloo. There are also six suburban stations, Topsham, St James Park, Exeter St Thomas, Polsloe Bridge, Pinhoe and Digby & Sowton, served only by local services.
The Topsham train is useful for those wanting to try out the "Topsham Ten" (pubs, for those that don't know) and not driving/taking a taxi to Topsham for the pleasure. Or at least, not in both directions.
By Air
Exeter International Airport lies east of the city and the local airline, Flybe, operates on an international basis. Flybe flights may be cheap - if you can catch the prices right online - but beware the taxes at Exeter airport - they tend to be around £70 per person, per flight, which bumps-up the low-cost flight prices on Flybe quite considerably.
The airport offers a range of scheduled flights to UK and Irish regional airports and charter flights including a seasonal service to Toronto, Canada. Connections to international hubs began with Paris Charles de Gaulle in 2005 and later a daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.[Flybe offers flights to several countries, including Spain (Malaga) amongst others.
Other international airports include International which is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes' drive from Exeter and Bournemouth International Airport which is approximately 2 hours' drive from the city centre.
By..err...Canal
The Exeter Canal was built in 1558, making it one of the oldest artificial waterways in Britain. It was cut to bypass weirs that had been built across the River Exe to prevent trade in the city and to force boats to unload at Topsham from where the Earls of Devon were able to exact large tolls to transport goods to Exeter. Originally 3 feet deep and 16 feet wide (0.9 m by 5 m), it ran 1.75 miles (2.8 km) from just below the Countess Weir to the centre of Exeter. It was later extended to Topsham, deepened and widened, and was successful until the middle of the 19th century since when its use gradually declined – the last commercial use was in 1972. However it is now widely used for leisure purposes, and the city basin is being included as part of a £24 million redevelopment scheme.
Pets
Dog owners and keen walkers will really appreciate the Exeter and surrounding areas. Dartmoor is approximately 30 minutes' drive and once there, the moors are open for great dog walks.
Teignmouth beach - again, approximately 20 minutes' drive from the city centre (on a good day without rush-hour traffic) is the only beach which permits dogs all year round. For this reason, it can be particularly busy during the summer months, but come September, the beaches are once again open for dog walkers, providing more options in Dawlish, Budleigh Salterton, Bude and Braunton Burrows to name but a few.
Vets
There are a number of excellent local veterinarians in Exeter. Recommended are:
- City Vets - which has branches across the city and its surrounding areas - is used by many kennels in the area "in case of emergencies" as they cover pretty much all areas of Exeter city centre and the outskirts.
- Polsloe Cranbrook Vets come highly recommended. A brilliant set of veterinary surgeons and nursing staff who treat any animal -no matter how small - as if it were one of their own pets. Polsloe specialise in small animals, from rats and mice to dogs and cats, and their very reassuring staff and excellent after-care for even the smallest medical problem is second to none. Chris is the owner of the surgeries - a second is found in Rockbeare only a 15 minute drive from the city centre - and is a friendly, welcoming and understanding South African vet. It's worth going just to check out some of the pictures of his patients - past and present -as he keeps their photos on his surgery walls. Has your tiger got a toothache? Chris is the man to treat it.
Medical and Dental
Hospitals
- The main hospital in Exeter is the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, which is spread over the Heavitree-side of the city. There has recently been uproar regarding cancer patient services being moved back to Plymouth Hospital and is an on-going local political issue. The RD&E provides certain specialist units, however, and are outstanding regarding their treatment.
- The West of England Eye Unit is found at the Wonford Hospital.
- The new Centre for Women’s Health, encompassing maternity, neonatology and gynaecology services, relocated from the nearby Heavitree Hospital to a new purpose-built unit at Wonford in June 2007 and has a good reputation for its services.
Doctors & Surgeries
Again, as anywhere, calling NHS Direct to find doctors in the area who are taking on new patients is always advisable 0845 4647. There are various surgeries across Exeter.
- The Mount Pleasant Health Centre services the Beacon Heath / Stoke Hill area of the city and has a particularly "difficult" receptionist. There are 2 separate practices within the Health Centre but the option of moving slightly further on to Mount Pleasant Road and registering with the ISCA doctors' surgery is highly recommended. ISCA service both the Heavitree area of Exeter and the surrounding roads. The doctors at the surgery are fantastically caring and attentive particularly when discussing family history as there is a genetic specialist available on site.
Dentists
For up-to-date NHS patient-accepting dentists, call NHS 0845 002 0034. There are currently several dental practices in Exeter which are accepting NHS patients.
- Sidwell Dental Surgery
115b Sidwell Street, Exeter EX4 6RY 01392 274 720
- St Thomas Dental Centre
48 Cowick Street, Exeter EX4 1AP 01392 210 850
- The Clocktower Dental Practice
10 New North Road, Exeter EX4 4HF 01392 272387
- The Spicer Road Dental Practice
(0.6 miles) 2 Spicer Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1SX Tel: 01392 272408
- The Dental Surgery - St. Leonard's Dental Practice
(0.6 miles) 27 Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1SW Tel: 01392 439268
- Barnbrook Dental Practice
(0.6 miles) 25 Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1SL Tel: 01392 273450
Local private practices are typically very expensive, though if it is a private practice you seek, then Contemporary Dental is wonderful. Feedback from patients include the nod of approval regarding the free tea and coffee facilities available in the very comfortable waiting room - which looks like a lounge more than a dental practice - and, of course, the excellent level of attention and treatment provided by the dental surgeons and hygiene staff.
Hygiene nurses are not NHS based at any practice in Exeter, with a quarter-hour visit starting at around £45 at most NHS practices - should they have availability. Private hygienists start at around £65 per half hour session.
Sports and Leisure
Exeter is also ideally placed to base a trip to branch out visiting places such as the famous Dartmoor National Park and the unspoilt beaches of two coastlines.
Bude offers great surfing opportunities for people who like getting freezing cold.
Perbecks Marine Nature Reserve, a half hour's drive East of Exeter, is a popular diving spot, and there are many good spots for diving on wrecks and reefs all along the coast, ending in Plymouth's Fort Bovisand.
There are many local martial arts groups, which are growing in popularity, from Aikido to the PUMA group classes.
Shopping and Tourism
Three significant shopping areas that connect to the High Street provide a somewhat more varied menu. Princesshay, a post-war retail area connecting to the south side of the High Street was home to a number of independent stores prior to redevelopment in 2007, but is now also largely occupied by national chains. It is an innovative varied development and it is still intended that a number of the new units will be let to local independent stores. On the other side of the High Street, the partly undercover Guildhall shopping centre (a 1970s reconstruction following the second world war bombing) houses a mixture of national and more regional shops, and connects to the wholly enclosed Harlequins centre where smaller businesses predominate. Smaller streets off the High Street such as Gandy Street also offer a range of independent shops.
Food and Drink
Exeter's 'café culture' isn't bad and continues to improve with additions being made to the [Princess Hay] shopping centre. If it's a good cup of coffee and an outrageously delicious piece of cake you want, look no further than [1] - yes, the Italian grand-father chef's little place near the post-office in Southernhay. It might be a chain café now, but it is a welcome addition to Exeter city centre. The staff are fabulously friendly, down-to-earth and swift to serve. Prices are reasonable and the seating is comfy, and there are outside tables added for the Spring/Summer season so even smokers are accommodated.
A really good vegetarian restaurant in the town is Herbie's. Run by a bunch of hippy-chicky staff, the service might be unbelievably slow as there appears to be some kind of karmic black-hole in the little restaurant on South Street. They advertise themselves as a place to "relax and enjoy your meal"- understatement of the year. Don't let it put you off, though, as their bean-burgers and nut burgers, amongst many other lovely dishes really are worth the wait. All organic wines, fruit juices and the like are served, but it doesn't open after 2.30pm. If you're a patient type of person, and want a decent, filling, tasty veggie meal, then Herbie's is the place to go.
Other good cafés include Real McCoy(sadly a shadow of its former self due to the recession and the aforementioned Princess Hay development taking custom away) but still does a good sandwich at lunch time and the coffee is of a decent quality. What sells the Real McCoy is that it sits inside a Vintage Clothing and accessories shop and is great to peruse for fancy dress stuff or the like. Definitely a place to check out if you want a cuppa and a new velvet jacket at the same time. Great for kids fancy-dress too.
Jobs and Recruitment Agencies
Most of the usual suspects appear in Exeter in the recruitment sector, including Reed Jobs, Manpower Brook Street which provide both temporary and permanent positions in the local areas. Other local recruitment agencies include Mango Personnel and Wise Employment which are best suited to those looking for short-term temporary workers.
The Met Office is a large local employer , who mostly employ new staff via one of the agencies in town. The NHS is also a large employer, from hospital staff to administration staff at the RD &E Hospital to the more technical/ IT based offices in Pynes Hill.
Pynes Hill industrial area is home to many companies, including various solicitors, IT specialists and others and is well worth looking out for employment in this part of town. Parking is easy, bus services are good, and it's near to the large Tesco's which makes finding sandwiches/lunch an easy task.
