Brilliant performance shop. Huge range of pet food in store and staff are happy to try and source anything they don’t have in stock. Staff knowledgeable about pet care and a fantastic vet offers fr... See more
Company replied
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
Stumbled across this pet store by chance, after trawling the Internet trying to find good quality cat food which didn't involve me bulk buying food that my fussy senior cat potentially wouldn't eat. O... See more
Company replied
First time ordering a prescription ever and I choose A coombs from their reviews on trust pilot. I submitted the prescription online, I then called the store to check on delivery time, I spoke to a lo... See more
Company replied
What a wonderful experience it was to buy from an independent pet store. I bought some cat toys and tunnels for my two indoor cats, and the A Coombs team couldn't have been more helpful. They messaged... See more
Company replied
Company details
Written by the company
A Coombs Pet Centre is an independent, family-run Pet Store in the heart of Brighton and Hove. Established back in 1934 and winners of Pet Retailer of the year we pride ourselves on our service and extensive product range. We use our experience and knowledge to bring our customers the very best products for their pets and we are constantly learning and researching the latest innovations so that you have access to the newest products on the market. With two stores and a website delivering nationwide via DPD, we are excited to welcome new and old customers to visit our website at www.acoombs.co.uk. If you can't see what you're looking for simply give us a call on 01273 738016 and we will try our very best to source the items for you.
Contact info
155 - 157 Portland Road, BN3 5QJ, Brighton, United Kingdom
- 01273 738016
- Natasha@acoombs.co.uk
- www.acoombs.co.uk
4.5
Excellent
353 reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 69% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
acoombs pet suppliers…
We have had dogs now for 58 years and have two now so we have tried a lot of suppliers over time we started using a coombs in early 2025 and find them excellent in every respect delivers to us in fareham the day following placing the order well done acoombs
2 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you David for your kind words and for taking the time to leave such a lovely review.
With your many years of experience as dog owners, it really means a great deal to us to hear that you’ve been so happy with our service. We’re delighted that deliveries to Fareham have been arriving promptly and that everything has met your expectations.
Thank you again for your support
The duck and raspberry treats I ordered…
The duck and raspberry treats I ordered for my cat looks so tasty and there is loads in the pack but my cat wouldn't eat them so I gave them to a friend and her cats loved them
2 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for your lovely review 😊
We’re really pleased to hear your cat is enjoying the duck and raspberry treats – they’re a firm favourite here too, and we love that they’re so generous on quantity.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, it really does mean a lot to us.
DO NOT SHOP HERE
PIf i could rate this no stars I would, there's now been TWO occasions where myself and my partner have had no communications at all in regards to the orders weve placed.
After the first time I decided to give the benefit of the doubt due to the company being a "small family run business" and after clear communication after I initiated the conversation it all seemed to be ok.
My partner and I were given a voucher to use seeing as our first item we ordered wasnt in stock and there was failure in the customer service team to communicate this with us. If it wasnt for me emailing I dont think I would've been told.
I used the voucher to buy some more stuff for my tortoise seeing as he needed some more bits and this item was actually "in stock". This item was ordered on the 12th, it is now the 22nd and no communication nor have I had a dispatch email.
I have tried emailing 3-4 days ago to which ive had no response what so ever, and therefore being left with no communication AGAIN.
Ive since had multiple emails stating that the 17-19th were the last days of dispatch before arriving before Christmas - I ordered on the 12th of December.
There was no point in being given a voucher just to be let down again and I really should've read the reviews before hand and I do not believe any of the positive ones are even real people.
Its frustrating when reptile/tortoise stuff is already very hard to get a hold off especially things he likes, to then be let down by a company who claims to be a small family run business, even though when they pick up the phone they dont even seem to want to talk to you. Oh and to add, I whatsapped as thats their talk now thing, and I was ignored and left on read.
DO NOT SHOP WITH THIS COMPANY UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE LET DOWN.
Edited to update:
We placed an order with the voucher issued back in nov/Dec time. My last communication was on the 30th December stating the item was out of stock from the supplier but should be available in the coming weeks and my order was prioritised.
Its now the 27th January, I had no communications the duration of this month, but when I emailed for an update and if there wasnt one to cancel. They replied in a matter of minutes with no explanation or apologies in regards to the missing item.
They always make excuses for their bad customer service and I cannot stress enough how much I do not recommend this company/store
22 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Madison,
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback.
We’re sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations. Your order was affected by stock availability during a busy period, which unfortunately meant it did not arrive as quickly as anticipated.
As a small, independent retailer supporting a wide range of specialist pet needs, we experience periods of increased demand. We have reviewed this matter internally and will continue to refine our processes.
First time of using this company and…
First time of using this company and I’m very impressed. Phoned me as some of the dog treats were out of stock to offer me an alternative, and then the order arrived within 2 days.
Will definitely use again, good choice, good customer service, that’s how it should be, so thank you.
12 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi J,
Thank you so much for your review and your kind words and also for choosing us for the first time – we’re really pleased to hear you were impressed.
We always try to get in touch where we can if something isn’t quite right, so it’s lovely to know you appreciated the call and that everything arrived quickly.
Thank you again for taking the time to leave a review – we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Merry Christmas from us all :)
Little Hatty
My little cat Hattie is having some problems with her liver and she is being more fussy than usual. Iv ordered different foods from this company and I contacted customer service for advice. I spoke to Natasha who quickly responded and went 100 percent over board trying to help, advise and give me peace of mind. I definitely 100% would recommend this company. Thanks again Natasha !!
15 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Jane,
Thank you so much for your kind words, it really means a lot to us.
We’re so sorry to hear that little Hattie is having a tough time and understand how worrying it can be when a cat becomes unwell and fussy with food. We’re really glad we could help in some small way and offer reassurance during what can be a stressful period.
Natasha will be especially touched by your comments and we will be sure to pass these on to her.
We’re wishing Hattie all the very best and hope she continues to feel more comfortable. Thank you again for taking the time to recommend us – it truly means a great deal to us all.
Poor Communication
UPDATE: was emailed asking to take down this review as they had already spoke to my partner. However the follow up service has not been up to par. We were provided with a £20 giftcard as an apology for the past mistake; However when using the giftcard we are now 11 days without delivery OR updates. I can understand its a busy time of year, however 11 days without any contact regarsing delivery is awful.
OP-Listed Strawberry Pro Rep pellets on website as in stock. Placed my order, recieved no updates to low stock levels, no delivery or order updates at all.
Checked in to see where my delivery was and was told they were out of stock and gave no information on when stock would be replaced. Offered alternatives, Which were not suitable and were different weights to what I paid for.
Terrible Service from a a company that I read such positives about. I would advise against ordering from here.
12 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you Lee for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re very sorry for the frustration caused – we understand how disappointing it is when an item you’ve ordered turns out to be unavailable.
The product was showing as very low stock and unfortunately sold out shortly after your order was placed. As soon as this came to light, our team got in touch to explain the situation and offer suitable alternatives, although we appreciate these weren’t right for you.
We have since spoken directly with your partner Mads and are pleased to say the matter has now been fully resolved with her. We’re grateful for the opportunity to put things right and for the understanding shown during that conversation.
As a small, family-run business, we genuinely care about our customers and always aim to communicate clearly and find fair solutions when issues arise. We’re sorry this wasn’t how the experience felt initially, but we’re glad we were able to resolve it promptly.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
Terrible service
Terrible service! Placed an order for some prescription medication for my dog which she urgently needed, order was taken and paid for including priority delivery and four days later still no update on my order! I made contact today to eventually get told that the medication is out of stock so that’s why they haven’t been delivered!! They are still showing online as “ in stock” so hopefully nobody else sees this and places an order for something so important! Awful customer service
11 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Sonya,
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We’re truly sorry for the worry and frustration this caused, especially as the medication was needed urgently.
You are absolutely right that you should have been kept informed. The item was showing as in stock in error, and we did not communicate quickly enough once we became aware of the issue. We sincerely apologise for the upset this caused – we understand how stressful this situation would have been.
This experience has been taken very seriously. We have reviewed our processes to ensure stock information is checked more carefully and that customers are contacted promptly if there is any delay or availability issue, particularly with prescription items.
We regret that we fell short on this occasion and appreciate you bringing it to our attention.
Brilliant servicr quick phone call…
Brilliant servicr quick phone call everything's ordered and delivered within a couple of days
1 July 2025
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much, Wendy!
We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. We’re glad we could get everything sorted quickly over the phone and delivered to you within a couple of days.
In An Age of Giant, Impersonal Stores, a Treasured Find
In an age of next-day delivery, high-tech, and super-giant stores, (where we have been programmed to now expect immediacy) it is so refreshing to find a family-run independent store that really truly cares about their customers. Having used the next day, high-tech (supposedly in-stock items still get cancelled at times as out of stock, orders late/damaged, and often misdelivered) type stores I would rather the personal service of A. Coombs Pet Centre for my beloved pets any day. Their on-line system may not be quite as sophisticated as one of the giant stores and delivery may be just a little bit slower. The odd glitch could happen (never experienced that myself in my innumerable orders), human error can occur, (orders are dealt with personally by humans after all) and so can easily be forgiven. For to receive a carefully packed parcel (you can feel the love) sometimes with a surprise free sample for my fur babies to try, a personal hand-written thank-you/smiley face on my despatch note just makes my day and my pets too, who excitedly gather to try the sample and then play with the box. The friendly, genuine, caring customer service is absolutely simply second to none. For me hands-down beats all the giant superstores for I truly feel valued as a loyal customer and that is a rarity these days. I simply cannot rate A Coombs Pet Centre highly enough - for me they are simply the best there is! They have won 'Best Pet Store' awards to prove it, don't just take my word for it.
17 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much, for such an incredibly heartfelt review. It’s genuinely touching to read your words and to know that the care we put into every parcel is felt on your end. As a family-run business, we don’t have the speed or scale of the giants – but we do have a team who truly love what they do, and your review captures exactly what we hope customers experience.
We’re delighted that the personal touches, careful packing and little surprises bring joy to you and your pets. It’s lovely to imagine them gathering round the box for their treats and playtime. Knowing that you feel valued as a loyal customer means more to us than any award, though your mention of them did make us smile.
Thank you again for taking the time to write something so thoughtful. We’re always here whenever you or your pet family need us.
Worst Service Yet—Lost a Loyal Customer
Having spent over £2,000 with A Coombes, I am shocked and extremely disappointed by the way my most recent order was handled. I placed an order on 20th October for products clearly marked as in stock on the company’s website. Based on this, I expected delivery within a standard timeframe of 7–10 working days.
Instead, I heard absolutely nothing. By 31st October, I had to reach out myself to ask where my order was. I was told it would be looked into immediately, yet nobody bothered to follow up. By 7th November—an unacceptable 18 days after placing the order—I was forced to chase again. Only then did I receive a response, informing me that part of my order had only just arrived that day. This makes it blatantly clear that the items were never in stock, despite being advertised as such. That alone is misleading.
Even worse, the second half of my order did not arrive until 16th November—27 days after the original purchase. At no point did A Coombes initiate any communication or update me on delays. Every single interaction came only because I had to chase them, repeatedly, just to get basic information about my own order. This level of customer service is completely unacceptable.
Claiming to be a small family-run business is not an excuse for listing out-of-stock items as available, failing to communicate for weeks, or leaving a customer entirely in the dark. If the business cannot manage orders or maintain accurate stock information, then it urgently needs more staff or better systems.
In the meantime, I had no choice but to buy my dogs’ food elsewhere—and that order arrived within three days, with no issues whatsoever. After this experience, and the complete lack of transparency or accountability, I will not be using A Coombes again.
16 November 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Wendy,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I’m truly sorry to hear how frustrated you’ve felt – no one likes to chase an order, and we never want any customer to feel ignored or uncertain about what’s happening with their purchase.
Although we are a small family business, we take communication and accuracy very seriously, which is why I’ve looked into your order history in full. Your items were shown as available because they were expected from our supplier within the usual timeframe, and the first part of your order did arrive exactly as anticipated on 7 November. Unfortunately, the second part was affected by a supplier delay that was outside our control. When we updated you on the 7th, it was because that was the first moment we were physically able to confirm what had arrived.
I completely understand how disappointing delays can be, particularly when you rely on certain products for your pets. It’s never our intention to leave anyone waiting longer than necessary, and we would always contact customers proactively when we have clear delay information to pass on. In this case, the situation changed several times on the supplier side, which meant we didn’t have accurate updates to send sooner – but I agree that the experience could have felt smoother from your end.
We have since reviewed our processes to ensure clearer communication when suppliers experience unexpected delays, even if the information isn’t yet final. This helps prevent situations where customers feel they’ve been left in the dark.
We genuinely appreciate your long-term support over the years and are sorry that this isolated delay has led you to feel so let down. If you ever decide to give us another chance, we would be more than happy to help and ensure your next experience reflects the service standards we’re known for.
EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE!
Exceptional customer service really going the extra mile to help customers. Very thoughtful, caring and understanding team. Fast delivery and great choice of products not readily available in other pet stores. Thank you A Coombs, and will be a regular customer.
8 November 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for your lovely review. It truly means a great deal to us. We always try to look after our customers as we would our own pets, so it’s wonderful to hear that our efforts made a difference to your experience.
We’re delighted you found what you needed and that your order reached you quickly. Knowing you’ll be a regular customer is the biggest compliment we could receive.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your feedback – we’re always here if you need anything.
Missing items and dented tins
It was my first order with this company. I received an incomplete order and was told on my invoice sheet that the refund for the missing items would be refunded with 2 -3. days. I still have not received the refund for the missing items and have had no response from the company when chasing it up.
A number of the tins that were delivered were also dented which is very poor.
24 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Madeleine,
We’re really sorry to hear your first experience with us didn’t go as smoothly as it should have. That’s certainly not the level of service we strive to provide.
I’ve checked on your order and can confirm the refund for the missing items was processed shortly after dispatch — though depending on the bank, it can sometimes take a few working days to appear. We completely understand how frustrating that delay must have been and are very sorry it caused concern.
We also take your comments about the dented tins seriously. Our team puts great care into packing each parcel securely, but we’ll be reviewing this with our couriers and exploring better ways to protect tins during transit to prevent this happening again.
We genuinely appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our service moving forward.
Kind regards,
Natasha
Really impressed
Really impressed, good selection of products at competitive prices and my order was delivered the next day.
21 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We will always work our hardest to get your order to you as quick as possible.
Thank you for supporting our small store :)
A superb customer experience thanks to Natasha
What a wonderful experience it was to buy from an independent pet store. I bought some cat toys and tunnels for my two indoor cats, and the A Coombs team couldn't have been more helpful. They messaged me to let me know that some of the items I'd bought were out of stock, and offered me (via Whatsapp) to refund the items, or replace them with something similar. I was super impressed with the level of care put into their customer service, you can see why they're still going strong after all these years! Thank you Natasha, Kiwi and Cowboy love their new tunnel and toys!
20 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Josh,
Thank you so much for your lovely review, that really made me smile! I’m so glad we could get everything sorted for you, and it’s wonderful to hear that Kiwi and Cowboy (awesome names btw) are loving their new tunnel and toys.
It was an absolute pleasure helping you, and I truly appreciate your kind words about the service – it means a lot. I look forward to serving both Kiwi and Cowboy again in the future :)
Many thanks,
Natasha
Poor customer service, won't use again.
First time customer ordered flea treatment for my cat online. Took 9 days to deliver. Dispensing vet was off for 4 of those days so nothing could be dispensed. Not good enough. Will not use again.
24 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Hi Martina,
We’re really sorry to hear your first experience with us didn’t go as smoothly as expected. We completely understand how frustrating it must have been to wait for your cat’s flea treatment, and we truly apologise for the delay.
Unfortunately, our senior dispenser – who is responsible for preparing and checking prescription treatments – was unexpectedly off for a few days, which did hold up some orders that week. We realise that’s not ideal and it’s certainly not the level of service we aim to provide. We’ve since made arrangements to ensure cover is in place so this doesn’t happen again.
We genuinely value every customer who chooses to shop with us, especially first-time customers, and we’d love the opportunity to restore your confidence in us. Please do reach out to our team if you’d like to discuss this further – we’re always happy to help.
Kind regards,
Natasha
Awesome company
Wonderful company not only did I save money but they really helped me out . My dog as severe allergies and IBD.Her food was running low and the manufacturers were out of stock . I sent them a message and they made sure I didn't run out . We will use again . THANKS GUYS X
17 October 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for your lovely message, it truly means a lot to us! We know how stressful it can be when your pet’s special food is running low, especially with allergies and IBD to manage, so we’re really glad we could help keep your doggy.
We’ll always do our best to make sure you’re never left stuck – thank you for choosing us and for taking the time to share your experience.
Many thanks & kind regards,
Natasha
Highly recommend
Absolutely fantastic shop with a great selection of the harder to find/more specialised foods. We experienced phenomenal communication from this business and fastest shipping I’ve ever had from a pet store on line. This business has become our go to for our dogs favourite food.
27 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for your wonderful review Erica! We’re absolutely delighted to hear you were happy with both the service and the range of foods we offer. It’s great to know your dog’s favourite food is now just a quick delivery away!
We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience – it means the world to us :)
Many thanks,
Natasha
Excellent service
Excellent service, with a fantastic range of pet food all delivered to your door.
I will definitely be ordering again from this company.
23 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a lovely review Penny. It means a lot.
We look forward to serving you again in the future,
Many thanks,
Natasha
Super quick, very kind
Placed an order Wednesday night, and it was already out for delivery the next day! Order arrived today with a little Haribo giant strawberry and a 10% discount off next order as a thank you 😍😍 how cute is that! Will definitely order again :)
5 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for your wonderful review — this absolutely made our day!
We’re so happy to hear your order arrived quickly and that you enjoyed the little Haribo treat (we love adding those extra touches!). It means a lot to know you appreciated it and that you’ll be ordering again.
We can’t wait to send your next parcel — and thank you again for choosing to shop with us!
Kind regards,
Natasha
Used A.Coombs for the first time and Happy With Service
Used A.Coombs for the first time recently as our previous supplier had problems. Order was placed for a 12kg bag of Carnilove which was confirmed quickly by email. We requested delivery by DPD which was confirmed and our order arrived on time the next day. Very good service and will use A.Coombs again.
1 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from A Coombs Pet Centre
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience we’re really pleased to hear your first order with us went so smoothly.
It’s great to know your Carnilove delivery arrived promptly and that you were happy with the service from start to finish. We truly appreciate you giving us a try after your previous supplier had issues, and we’d be delighted to serve you again soon.
Kind regards,
Natasha
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
Companies can ask for reviews via automatic invitations. Labeled Verified, they’re about genuine experiences.
Learn more about other kinds of reviews.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.