I happen to like Exeter and did my IRR training there with the now convicted criminal.
Is it GA friendly ?
As to friendly, yes, at every level in my experience. Can you simply turn up, park next to the clubhouse and jump out for a coffee without high viz, no.
Is it Expensive ?
Like most PPL's I love the challenge of finding and flying into grass strips with - if you're lucky - A/G service. Typically these cost £10ish
But I equally love the experience of flying into larger airports with the need to be professional on the R/T, preferably making an instrument approach and mixing it with the Big Boys. Taxiing around Airbuses never fails to leave me in awe - if you have pax they will often be speechless.
If I want to do that I have to incrementally add in the long smooth tarmac, full radar ATC, fire and rescue service on standby, the Navaids available and put a price on each of those.
Do you need them ? Not all the time but when you do, you sure as heck do. And isn't it good to use them (Navaids even if not the fire service !) occasionally even when not needed to make sure you still can ?
So, decision time as you plan your trip, do you go to a Dunkeswell or do you go an Exeter. The experience will be different, so will the cost be. But I bet that they will both be friendly (It's the West Country after all !)
Good luck to the ex ASW instructors, hope this IMC has a silver lining.