The Southgate Hotel

The Southgate Hotel stands between South Street and Southernhay. This building was constructed in the late eighties (opening in 1989), utilising 45 / 46 Southernhay East, a listed building and formerly the home of Trinity Coach Works. These buildings can be seen in the first of the two pictures below.

Prior to it's construction, there was a scrap yard (Newberry's) and Trinity Cottages, a row of 8 cottages in Trinity Street. The street and cottages were demolished though the City Wall Walk follows the old line of Trinity Street.

The hotel's site is believed to have been the location of Exeter's famous Lammas Fair which was a 3 day annual market.

An archaeological dig carried out prior to construction of the hotel revealed several artifacts and the presence of a previously unknown defence ditch dating to the Civil war.

The hotel was originally a Forte Crest Hotel changing hands in 1996 when the hotel became known as MacDonalds Southgate Hotel. In February 2008, the hotel became the Mercure Southgate Hotel, a franchise.