A major UK pet chain has shut all its stores with immediate effect after three decades of trading. The Ark Pet Centres closed all its locations in a heartbreaking move last week.
Rising Costs Blamed for Closure
The pet shop chain cited rising costs as the main reason behind the immediate closures. It confirmed it had shut its outlets in Transit Way, Plymtock Broadway, Exeter, and Paignton.
“It is with huge regret and sadness that we announce that after 30 years of trading, we will be shutting our doors for good as of today (April 23). This affects all stores,” a statement from the chain said.
“Whilst we have all worked incredibly hard to weather the economic storm, we can no longer sustain the increasing pressure and huge rising costs, and with more increases on the horizon, we have had to make the heartbreaking decision to cease trading.”
Staff and Customers Thanked
The statement continued: “We would like to thank our wonderful team who have worked hard to make The Ark what it was – and we truly wish them all the very best for the future. To our loyal customers – thank you, we appreciate you and we truly will miss serving you and your pets.”
According to the social media post, the business “never set out to be a pet shop” and instead “wanted to be a place where local people could get help and advice on pet care from people they trusted”.
“We’re proud to have done that for 30 years. We have loved every minute of this from day one, thank you for being part of our journey,” the statement concluded.
Previous Liquidation of Sister Company
In 2025, sister company The Pet Express Ltd, which controlled the two Plymouth outlets, went into liquidation with staff losing their jobs. The overall business was established in 1995 and grew to have nine outlets, which included two locations in Exeter, two in Torbay, and a warehouse in Plymouth.
