I bought a Guinea pig from here on 22/04, she passed away after two weeks despite numerous vet trips and medication, the fault is solely on Woodbank nurseries for neglecting her. I was told by staff that she had received lice/mite/flea and ringworm treatment on arrival, which I took at face value. I checked her over the next day after she had settled in and I noticed she had a large cut on her neck which had scabbed over and her nose was scabby and she visibly had lice crawling over her fur. We took her to our local vets for treatment straight away, who confirmed she had mites/lice. We contacted the Woodbank who said that we could have a full refund if we returned her. We chose not to do this, as she had clearly been neglected to get in the state she was in and I was not comfortable returning her to that environment. I asked for confirmation and proof that she had received the treatment (this is basic for any establishment that sells animals and have multiple people working there, especially if they are applying any kind of medicine it should be logged) instead my question was ignored and I was offered a full refund. We have since taken her back to the vets as we noticed lumps on her chin, these have been confirmed as abscesses from bites caused by the mites/lice and tests have also been sent to the lab to check if she has ringworm. She is currently on antibiotics, as well as other treatment which could and would have been prevented if she had been cared for properly to begin with. A 3 month old Guinea pig should not be in this condition under any circumstances, and certainly shouldn't be sold like this. On the receipt Woodbank give you when buying a pet it states that they do not pay for vet bills after the animal is purchased, this in itself is concerning as it suggests it's been a common problem. Every other place I have bought/adopted Guinea pigs from have provided a 3 month guarantee, where if your pet gets ill they will pay for vet bills, this demonstrates that they believe they are selling the animal in a healthy condition. The fact that Woodbank openly state they do not pay for vet bills extremely concerning and should be a warning for other customers to not purchase an animal from here. Any Guinea pigs housed with mine during her stay at Woodbank will have lice/mites and most likely ringworm, and the department manager has not confirmed whether they have received treatment despite my requests for this. I am also aware 3 other Guinea pigs she was originally housed with were bought the day before and more than likely have the same issues. The department manager claimed all Guinea pigs currently in their care have been thoroughly checked, however the same assurance was given for my Guinea pig, and it's evident she had not been thoroughly checked so it's questionable what their thorough checks entail. The department manager and the store manager are not accepting liability for the neglect of this Guinea pig. When my partner mentioned we have been advised by the vet to contact RSPCA the manager laughed and stated that "they deal with them all the time", this response is very worrying and confirms other people are concerned about the welfare of the animals at Woodbank. Previously whilst visiting the pet department, one of the girls who works there was discussing the Guinea pigs kept in the centre pen for breeding and stated in front of multiple customers that many of the pups were stillborn and that it was an on going issue, further showing they are not able to care for the Guinea pigs they currently have and she also confirmed once they had babies they would sell the sows, which is also ethnically questionable. I strongly advise against anybody buying an animal from Woodbank unless you want a sick animal and are willing to cover vets bills. read more

In an area awash with garden centres, Woodbank stands head and shoulders above the rest. A vast range of plants and garden accessories and plenty of expert advice are available, as well as a pet department selling rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc along with all necessary equipment. There is an aquatic department selling everything you coulld need for any set-up, be it indoor, outdoor, coldwater or tropical. A well stocked gift centre, freh flower shop, and delightful cafe all add up to a wonderful garden centre where it is well worth spending a few hours. read more

I visit here quite often because it's just 'up the road' from where I live. I could spend pounds and pounds here and still go home with a smile on my face. It's soooooo good; full of interesting plants, house decorations/ornaments, books, bits & bobs, garden ornaments, tubs etc (need I go on, you get the drift). This is part of the ACW setup and so have a similar cafe (all manner of things hung from the ceiling and decorating the wall, perfect to amuse oneself whilst waiting for food/drinks). Never had a bad meal here either. Worth popping in if you're in the area. read more

After many, many years of attending practically every event here, sending lots of helpful customer experiences and ideas to the message box and wall etc, I was recently disgusted by the Manager's treatment of me in front of my small child. I put a giant white feather boa around my neck in a harmless playful manner, when I lifted it from the stand, some bits fell off it (as feathery things do). When I removed it from around my neck after briefly trying to bring a little magic to my 2 year old and incite her enthusiasm in Christmas after a difficult time, a few tiny bits naturally also fell off. The boxes were still being unloaded and there was absolutely loads of glitter and 'bits' on the floor where they fell. Then the Manager came over from the side of where a female worker with a hoover stood a few meters away and I was shouted at in an aggressive manner. I said "I am so sorry. I didn't mean any harm." He continued to shout and point his finger in my face. I said "As I said, I am sorry but I do not appreciate you speaking to me like this, so stop." He got worse in shouting, getting "in my face" and in front of all the customers in reception, continued to be horrible. I stood my ground and I do not regret this. I am appalled that a manager can behave in such a way when a male worker in the section before actively encouraged me to go back and try some 3d glasses that he had seen that I had not seen - he should be the Manager. I am also concerned that all the staff witnessed the behaviour of this man and everyone was silenced because of his 'position'. I would hate to see what this Manager did if a child had a tantrum and actually broke something on purpose in fury, or someone knocked a stand over by accident. If I wasn't so genuinely concerned about what might happen next in this garden centre I would have been more likely to keep quiet. I am not sure your website descriptions match what you provide...! "We are committed to delivering outstanding customer service" & "We like to see ourselves not as strangers but more as friends you haven't met yet! Put us to the test! Contact any of our friendly staff and say hello!" & "At Woodbank Nurseries and Garden Centre we are delighted to share our love for the Christmas season by bringing you a magical shopping experience." Utterly disappointed. read more