Economy of Devon (chewing gum) and HMNB Devonport (the largest naval base in western Europe) are in Plymouth. Torquay was home to Beverage Brands, the producers of WKD Original Vodka. Britannia Royal Naval College is at Dartmouth. Mining for tin and copper was carried on in Devon from ancient times until the 1930s: see Dartmoor tin-mining. Agriculture has been an important industry in South West England since the 19th century: approximately 80% of land in the South West of England is in agricultural use (19.6% of England's total). In the later 19th and early 20th centuries there were a number of potteries in
Healthcare in Devon are provided by Devon Doctors. Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group decided in November 2014 that Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust would be its preferred provider of community services. This decision was challenged by Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust which had been providing these services and in February 2015 Monitor (NHS) announced that it would investigate this complaint. Northern Devon said the decision will mean it will have to give up ownership of some of its community hospitals. Ownership of 12 of the trust’s community hospitals will “in all likelihood” transfer to NHS Property Services. The