A30 at Turks Head
Signposted from the road? Westbound only
EX14 1BQ
map and directions
Single site located at a junction.
The Turks Head junction on the Honiton Bypass has a picnic area and signposted service area.
Facilities
Catering: Max's Cabin 2 (at picnic area) Amenities: Premier Inn, Toilets Outdoor Space: Picnic tables and woodland walk at picnic area; public footpath connections Charging Points: bp pulse 150kW CCS; GeniePoint 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2 Forecourt: BP, M&S Simply Food, Wild Bean Café, Car Wash, Free Cash Machine
Parking Prices
Short stay customer parking is available for cars only at the hotel and filling station.
Two hours free parking is also available for all vehicles at the picnic area. No overnight parking is available.
This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
Honiton Garage To and Fro
Turks Head Lane
Honiton
Devon
EX14 1BQ
Trivia and Design
The junction, picnic area, former restaurant and hotel and general area take the name 'Turks Head', after the former 18th Century toll house which sits on the nearby Exeter Road.
The picnic area is located to the north of the junction, whilst the filling station and hotel are located to the south. All facilities are accessible in both directions, but they are only signposted as an official service area from the westbound A30.
The service area is not related to the Honiton Little ChefHistory, which was positioned at the eastern end of the bypass. This opened in 1974 and closed on 11 March 2017, becoming an EG Group-operated Starbucks store.
History
The Honiton Bypass opened in December 1966. Its western junction, by the former Turks Head toll house, was provided with a local authority picnic area, creating a new stopping point for travellers.
Local garage owner Gerald Harris wanted to move his car repair garage from Honiton town centre to the new Turks Head junction. A new garage workshop, vehicle showroom and a JET filling station opened in 1969. These were joined by the Honiton Motel and Restaurant in 1972.
The forecourt gained a car wash in 1987. This utilised part of the car showroom and was attached to the main showroom building.
The picnic area gained catering facilities in a portable building in 2004, known as Smiley's Café. This was then joined by a purpose-built toilet block in 2005.
Recent Developments
The Honiton Motel rebranded to Turks Head Lodge in around 2012. By 2014, the hotel and restaurant building were derelict. Premier Inn acquired the site in 2015 and demolished the former hotel and restaurant building, providing a new hotel at the back of the site. The site of the restaurant building became a new car park for the hotel.
The forecourt was rebranded to Harvest Energy in the early 2010s. In early 2017, the forecourt was acquired by BP who demolished the existing sales building and canopy in May, reopening the site as one of their Connect sites with a M&S Simply Food store and Wild Bean Cafe in early 2018. The Honiton Garage continues to trade behind the forecourt.
BP installed a BP Pulse electric vehicle charger on their forecourt in early 2022, with the charger later going live in May 2023. A GeniePoint charger was then added to the Premier Inn car park in May 2023 too, adding a second charging offer here.
Max's Cabin 2 took over the café within the picnic area on 1 June 2023, owned and operated by the same team who own Max's Cabin at the end of the A303 near Yarcombe.
Alternatives
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| Ilminster (A303, 17 miles) Kilmington Cross (A35 westbound, 9 miles) | Services on the A30 | Exeter (M5 south, 14 miles) |