We'll call you back
Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service will be in touch shortly.
You've just taken the first step — contacting a funeral director.
See the full checklistLeave your number and Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service will call you back.
Free, no obligation. We'll pass your number to the director.
Attended Cremation
£1,700
Ready to speak to someone? A free, no-obligation call can help you understand the next steps.
If anything has changed, a quick call with a specialist can confirm.
A quick call with a specialist can help you figure out what applies.
Question of 3
Did the person who died own a property?
Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.
Were there savings, investments, or other assets?
Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.
Was there a will?
Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.
This can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone. A probate specialist can walk you through the next steps — no obligation, no pressure.
That's one less thing to worry about. If anything changes or you'd like a quick confirmation, a specialist can put your mind at rest.
Many families don't have all the information straight away — that's completely normal. A quick chat with a specialist can help you understand what applies to your situation.
What the probate process looks like
Apply for Grant of Probate
Collect assets & close accounts
Pay debts & tax
Distribute the estate
A specialist handles all of this for you.
Trusted by thousands of families across the UK
You probably don't need to pay for the funeral yourself
The estate will likely go through probate, which means the funeral costs can be paid from the estate. You need a probate specialist to make this happen.
Sail Probate · Fixed fees, nothing upfront
Probate might not be needed
That means the funeral costs probably can't be covered this way. But every situation is different — a quick chat can confirm.
We need a bit more info
Don't worry — lots of people aren't sure at this stage. A quick chat can work out whether the funeral costs can be covered.
Want to talk it through?
Free, no obligation.
Want to check with a specialist?
Free, no obligation.
Want to find out for sure?
Free, no obligation.
Sail Probate · Trusted by thousands of families
A specialist will call you soon
Free, no-obligation advice from Sail Probate
What happens next
Request received
Just now
A specialist reviews your details
Within 1 hour
You'll receive a call
Within 24 hours
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Result saved
If you need help later, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
We'll give you a call
A Sail Probate specialist will talk you through everything and answer any questions.
Interested in: We handle everything (£6,000)
Interested in: Just the probate application (£1,000)
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
No problem
If you'd like to talk about probate or funeral costs, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service was founded in 1983.
Our dedicated teams at our Torquay funeral home are committed to creating tailored funerals that reflect the unique life of your loved one.
We can be contacted 24 hours a day, by telephone, and are here to discuss your needs. Or if you prefer, we can visit your home to discuss funeral arrangements.
"I practically had to phone nearly every day as I hadn't a clue of the process — the whole service was carried out with great respect and dignity, and with clear instructions from Stuart all went well without a hitch."
— Sue Annon (about Stuart)
"With everything made much more difficult due to the ongoing global health crisis, they eased the way forward for us to give our beloved Sarah a fitting final tribute. Their quiet dignity in attending to all aspects of the funeral was outstanding."
— Leslie Retallick
"He and staff were extremely supportive, kind and helpful — nothing was ever too much trouble for them to sort out. We all thank you sincerely for making a sad occasion a real celebration of my lovely wife June's life."
— June (about Stuart)
"Drakes took care of my dad in 2002, they were amazing back then and remain so now. They literally take care of everything, and they do this efficiently and in a way that is kind, respectful and unobtrusive. I can't fully express my gratitude."
— Mark Hutchinson (about Stuart)
"I was feeling very overwhelmed in the days immediately after my dad died and having his step-by-step guidance on the paperwork and various things that needed to be done was really helpful."
— Kate Whitehead (about Stuart Drake)
"Stuart very quickly took all our worries away and provided an excellent service throughout the whole process, from start to finish. We felt comforted in the way he talked us through a very new and unknown process."
— Hannah Brewer (about Stuart)
Bonnie
Funeral Arranger
Bonnie is a member of the team at Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service, praised by a reviewer for her help and understandin…
Stuart Drake
Funeral Director
"I was feeling very overwhelmed in the days immediately after my dad died and having his step-by-step guidance on the pa…"
Stuart Drake
Funeral Director
"I was feeling very overwhelmed in the days immediately after my dad died and having his step-by-step guidance on the pa…"
Stuart Drake
Funeral Director
"Stuart very quickly took all our worries away and provided an excellent service throughout the whole process, from star…"
A S
a month ago
Everyone at Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service was friendly and respectful. Stuart arranged a meeting with us quickly and answered all our questions and provided support when we needed it. The funeral went as well as you could expect a sad occasion to go. We are very grateful to Stuart, Bonnie and team for their professional but caring support during this difficult time. Thank you, April, Linda and Dan Sarson
June
3 months ago
From start to finish Stuart the funeral director gave myself and the family the feeling that we were in confident/professional hands. He and staff were extremely supportive kind and helpful nothing was ever too much trouble for them to sort out. We all thank you sincerely for making a sad occasion “a real celebration of my lovely wife June’s life”
Mark Hutchinson
4 months ago
Drakes of Torbay are excellent. The care and customer service they provided, at such a difficult time, was such that Stuart made the whole process as easy as it possibly could be. They literally take care of everything, and they do this efficiently and in a way that is kind, respectful and unobtrusive. Drakes recommended a celebrant called Chas, to take the service, and he was terrific, taking the pain out of everything and making the funeral service a celebration of my mam's life. In 2002, Drakes took care of my dad, they were amazing back then and remain so now. I can't fully express my gratitude.
Kate Whitehead
7 months ago
I am especially grateful to the funeral director Stuart Drake, who talked me through everything I need to do. I was feeling very overwhelmed in the days immediately after my dad died and having his step-by-step guidance on the paperwork and various things that needed to be done was really helpful.
susan parrock
9 months ago
Stuart helped me so much with arrangements from start to finish.Kept in touch throughout and advised were needed. On the Day of funeral Mark contacted me and everything was conducted with such dignity and grace. Everyone was very professional and kind. Would highly recommend. Thank you all so very much.
Take a moment to reflect on the care you received
Not displayed publicly — used for verification only
This helps other families understand your experience
Share what your experience was like — other families will read this when choosing a funeral director
characters — please write a little more
Your review will appear on this page once verified. This usually takes 1–2 days.
Ready to speak to someone? A free, no-obligation call can help you understand the next steps.
If anything has changed, a quick call with a specialist can confirm.
A quick call with a specialist can help you figure out what applies.
Question of 3
Did the person who died own a property?
Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.
Were there savings, investments, or other assets?
Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.
Was there a will?
Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.
This can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone. A probate specialist can walk you through the next steps — no obligation, no pressure.
That's one less thing to worry about. If anything changes or you'd like a quick confirmation, a specialist can put your mind at rest.
Many families don't have all the information straight away — that's completely normal. A quick chat with a specialist can help you understand what applies to your situation.
What the probate process looks like
Apply for Grant of Probate
Collect assets & close accounts
Pay debts & tax
Distribute the estate
A specialist handles all of this for you.
Trusted by thousands of families across the UK
You probably don't need to pay for the funeral yourself
The estate will likely go through probate, which means the funeral costs can be paid from the estate. You need a probate specialist to make this happen.
Sail Probate · Fixed fees, nothing upfront
Probate might not be needed
That means the funeral costs probably can't be covered this way. But every situation is different — a quick chat can confirm.
We need a bit more info
Don't worry — lots of people aren't sure at this stage. A quick chat can work out whether the funeral costs can be covered.
Want to talk it through?
Free, no obligation.
Want to check with a specialist?
Free, no obligation.
Want to find out for sure?
Free, no obligation.
Sail Probate · Trusted by thousands of families
A specialist will call you soon
Free, no-obligation advice from Sail Probate
What happens next
Request received
Just now
A specialist reviews your details
Within 1 hour
You'll receive a call
Within 24 hours
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Result saved
If you need help later, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
We'll give you a call
A Sail Probate specialist will talk you through everything and answer any questions.
Interested in: We handle everything (£6,000)
Interested in: Just the probate application (£1,000)
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
No problem
If you'd like to talk about probate or funeral costs, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Get in touch
Call 01803329866We'll call you back
Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service will be in touch shortly.
You've just taken the first step — contacting a funeral director.
See the full checklistLeave your number and Drakes of Torbay Funeral Service will call you back.
Free, no obligation. We'll pass your number to the director.
You've completed of 18 steps on the bereavement checklist.
Continue your checklist18 things to sort when someone dies — keep track so nothing gets missed.
See the full checklist
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Torquay, Devon. All listed members follow a strict Code of Practice and are independently monitored, giving your family genuine peace of mind.
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Plymouth, Devon. All 10 listed members follow a strict Code of Practice, giving your family confidence and protection at every step.
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Exeter, Devon. All members follow a strict Code of Practice and are independently monitored, giving your family complete peace of mind.
Serving families in TORQUAY and the surrounding area
So we can help families like yours better.
Tick all that apply.
Understanding your experience helps us help families like yours.
Your answers help us support families going through this.
You might find our step-by-step guide helpful →