Winslade Park Estates

A historic manor just outside Exeter that has decided what it wants to be. The casual dining roots have been set aside and every space reimagined around events: product launches, conferences, private dinners, weddings and parties. It is a confident pivot rather than a hedge, and the building carries it well, with heritage bones doing the heavy lifting behind the high-style finish. Service and standards, they are keen to stress, have not moved anywhere.

Lunch is served Monday to Friday and Sundays, and Thursdays bring wood fired pizzas and drinks out onto the Manor Terrace, which is the easiest way to see the place without booking a function. Christmas parties run in The Forge with private hire and festive menus. Corporate spaces cover everything from small meetings to full conferencing, and catering can be arranged off site too. Enquire directly for event spaces; turn up on a Thursday for the pizza.