Whitehouse services
A30 between Exeter and Okehampton
(also accessible to traffic on the B3260)
Signposted from the road.
EX20 1QJ
map and directions
Single site located at a junction.
Just within the limits of Dartmoor National Park, the former White House Transport Cafe has turned into a full service area.
Facilities
Catering: Whitehouse Services Restaurant Amenities: Revolution Laundry Outdoor Space: Large, fenced grass area behind car park; Picnic Area Charging Points: Forward EV 50kW CCS Forecourt: BP, Budgens, Calippo Burst, Costa Express, f'real Milkshakes, PG Tips 2Go, Car Wash, Jet Wash, Free Cash Machine
Parking Prices
Short stay customer parking is available for all vehicles, with four free overnight HGV parking bays available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.
Contact Details
đą Address:
White House Service Station
Okehampton
Devon
EX20 1QJ
Trivia and Design
The service area was originally home to the White House Transport Café and truckstop which itself replaced Ivy Cottage. It is positioned on the original alignment of the A30, which happens to be next to a junction with the new road.
Trusthouse Forte planned to build a filling station and restaurant here in 1987, but planning permission was refused. A subsequent plan in 1988 proposed just the restaurant but these plans were also refused. The truckstop eventually gained fuel facilities in 1989.
Over the winter of 1991, the truckstop café and recently added fuel facilities were demolished and replaced with a new BP forecourt and restaurant building, opening in April 1992.
The filling station shop was expanded in 2007, doubling the size of the store. Upon reopening, the store gained Premier branding. This became Budgens in the early 2010s before becoming Nisa Local in 2015. The store was rebranded back to Budgens in July 2020.
A new car park was added next to the existing restaurant in 2010, with an overflow area for use in the summer.
The LPG tanks were removed in 2023, with this area becoming additional parking. The GeniePoint charger was also removed in early 2024 in preparation for three new BP Pulse charging points, but these were delayed. The site gained an EV charger from Forward EV on 1 July 2024 instead.
Expansion Plan
The owners of Whitehouse Services submitted plans in summer 2016 to significantly expand the offering here. Their plans include demolishing the existing restaurant building and replacing it with a much larger amenity building which included a large restaurant, coffee shop, takeaway unit and a shop. New parking areas would also be created to include 95 car parking spaces along with a new HGV parking area and new caravan parking area. The fuel facilities would largely remain the same, with only the HGV fuelling lanes being re-aligned to sit alongside the new amenity building. A new hotel would also be added to the far east of the site.
The new service area would see the size of the site double, with the neighbouring field to the east of the existing site being used to house the new parking area.
Despite the A30 having no major facilities which cater for all vehicle types between Exeter and Victoria, planning permission was refused as the site is within Dartmoor National Park, and it was deemed to have a "detrimental effect on the landscape".
Alternatives
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| Whiddon Down (6 miles) | Services on the A30 | Sourton Cross (5 miles) |
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