Pet shop in Colchester - the independent alternative, just outside town
If you’ve been trekking across Colchester trying to find everything for your pets in one place, or getting stung by retail-park pricing, you’re not alone. Marks Tey Discount Pet Foods sits six miles west of Colchester on the A120 and has been the go-to independent pet shop for Colchester residents for over three decades.
We’re family-run, now in our third generation. That means when you walk in with a question about a cat who is a fussy eater, a new puppy, an ageing rabbit or a sick budgie, you get answers from people who’ve been doing this for a lifetime. Not a seasonal hire reading from a laminated guide.
Click & collect only
We’re a pick-up only shop. Order online for click & collect, or come in and browse the full range in person. There’s plenty of parking, and the team will always help you out to the car with heavy bags.
Why Colchester customers make the short drive
Colchester has plenty of pet retailers, but very few independents at our scale. Here’s what keeps people coming back to our family-run shop:
- Genuine discount prices. We compete directly with the big chains on brands like Bakers, Skinners, Winalot, Chappie, Whiskas, Felix, Iams, James Wellbeloved and Hill’s, and we regularly come in cheaper.
- Bulk buying that saves real money. 20kg bags of dry food, 40-pack pouches, multi-packs of tinned food at prices that make the trip worthwhile.
- A proper range. Not just dog and cat: we stock caged bird, wild bird, poultry, rabbit, small animal, equine, farm and specialist lines all under one roof.
- Expert advice from owners who actually own animals. Feeding guidance, brand swaps, transitioning pets to new foods, help with reactive or sensitive pets.
- Loading help. Heavy bags carried to your car as standard, no questions asked.
View categories:
Dog supplies | Cat Supplies | Small Animal Supplies | Bird Supplies | Poultry Supplies | Fish Supplies | Horse Supplies | Farm Animal Supplies | All Offers
What we stock that Colchester chains often don’t
Colchester’s high-street and retail-park stores tend to cover the obvious. We go deeper on the specialist end:
- Heygates, Burgess Excel and Tiny Friends Farm rabbit and small animal feed, including bulk 10kg and 20kg bags
- Bucktons, Johnston & Jeff and own-brand caged bird seed for budgies, canaries, cockatiels, parrots and finches
- 20kg wild bird staples: sunflower hearts, peanuts, monkey nuts, dried mealworms and striped sunflower seeds
- Layers pellets, growers pellets, layers mash and chick starter crumbs for backyard chicken keepers across Colchester’s villages
- Pigeon corn, aviary mixes and foreign finch seed, often hard to find in Colchester itself
- Frozen day-old chicks for raptor keepers and reptile owners
- Equine supplies including Speedi-Beet, sugar beet shreds and haylage (subject to stock)
- Ferret, hamster, reptile and fish specialist lines
If you’ve been ordering online because you can’t find these lines locally, it’s worth a look in person. You’ll save on postage and get the pricing right.
How to find us from Colchester
We’re an easy drive from anywhere in Colchester:
- From central Colchester, head west on the A12 and come off at the Marks Tey junction (Junction 25). We’re on the A120, roughly a 5-10 minute drive in normal traffic.
- From Stanway, Lexden or Shrub End, head west on the A12 from Junction 26, one junction along to Marks Tey.
- From Highwoods, Mile End or Myland, pick up the A12 southbound at Junction 28 and come down to Junction 25.
- From Wivenhoe or the University, the easiest route is the A133 and A12 westbound.
Parking: free, directly outside the store. You can pull up right next to the door to load up and don’t forget we will always help get everything in your car, truck or van.
Opening hours
- Monday to Saturday: 9:00am to 5:45pm
- Wednesday (late): 9:00am to 7:00pm
- Sunday: 10:00am to 4:00pm
Click & collect – no delivery
We’re a pick-up only business. That’s how we keep prices down. You can:
- Browse and order online at discountpetfood.co.uk and collect in-store
- Walk in and shop the full range: everything on the website (and plenty more) is on the shelves
- Phone ahead on 01206 210 153 if you want us to put a bulk bag aside or check stock before you set off
Frequently asked questions
Are you actually in Colchester?
Technically we’re in Marks Tey, which is part of the City of Colchester district and six miles from the town centre – our postcode is CO6 1LS. Most of our customers come from Colchester, Stanway, Lexden and the surrounding villages. We’re only a 5-10 minute drive off the A12.
Do you deliver to Colchester?
No. We’re click & collect only. Keeping it in-store is what lets us stay competitive on price.
Can you order in a specific brand or bag size?
Often yes. Give us a ring and we’ll tell you what we can do and roughly when it’ll be in.
Is there parking?
Free parking right outside, including space for heavy-load pick-ups.
Are you dog-friendly?
Yes. Bring them in, just keep them on a lead and watch out for low-shelf temptations…
Ready to visit?
We’ve served Colchester pet owners since 1987. If you haven’t been before, the first visit is usually the one that wins people over. The range is bigger than it looks online, the prices are genuinely cheaper than the chains, and our staff know their stuff.
Address: 90 Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, Colchester, CO6 1LS
Phone: 01206 210 153
View categories:
Dog supplies | Cat Supplies | Small Animal Supplies | Bird Supplies | Poultry Supplies | Fish Supplies | Horse Supplies | Farm Animal Supplies | All Offers