Economy of Devon upon geographical location; Dartmoor, for instance, has recently seen a significant rise in the percentage of its inhabitants involved in the financial services sector. In 2003, the Met Office, the UK's national and international weather service, moved to Exeter. Devon is one of the rural counties, with the advantages and challenges characteristic of these. Despite this, the county's economy is also heavily influenced by its two main urban centres, Plymouth and Exeter. Nearly half of the holdings of the Duchy of Cornwall are in Devon, including a large area of farmland. Since the rise of seaside resorts with the arrival
Devon General was sold to the Stagecoach Group in 1996 and renamed Stagecoach Devon in 2003. Coaches were operated under various names, principally Fleet Cars from 1925 until 1933, and Grey Cars from 1932 until 1971. Its main principal depots were in Exeter and Torquay, but the area of operation covered most of south, east and mid Devon. The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company started operations in south Devon in 1919 with two bus routes from Exeter to Torquay. In 1922 Torquay Tramways bought the company for £36,000, although it was operated as a subsidiary of the National Electric Construction Company