Primark is to invest £100 million in its UK stores in 2024 as it marks 50 years since the opening of its first English store.
The plans include opening new locations and expanding a number of existing stores.
The spend includes £75 million of new investment in UK retail this year, building on plans announced by the company in November 2022.
Improvement Works
The clothing retailer will open a store in Bury St. Edmunds on 6 March and two more in Teesside Park and Glasgow Fort later in the year.
Primark will also be extending a number of stores, including their London Westfield location which will double in size to more than 81,000 square feet.
Combining the new stores and extension space, Primark is set to reach 195 stores and almost 8 million square feet of selling space by the end of 2024.
The new locations and extensions will result in almost 700 new jobs, ranging from retail assistant to store manager positions.
Stores in Bradford, High Wycombe and Bolton will be moved to new sites and 15 existing shops will be refurbished.
The improvement works include updating décor and store fixtures, as well as rolling out LED lighting as part of the company’s commitment to halving their carbon footprint by 2030.
Primark also confirmed new stores in Epsom, Surrey and Newbury, Berkshire. They are due to open in 2025.
‘Committed As Ever’
Kari Rodgers, Primark’s UK retail director, said that despite changes in the 50 years Primark has operated in the UK, the core commitment of the store has remained the same.
Rodgers said, “We’re as committed as ever to offering the very best value on the high street and making great fashion more affordable and accessible for everyone.
“This latest investment will mean bigger and better stores, hundreds of new jobs across the country and shows our ongoing commitment to the UK high street.”
Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Pennys brand, Primark opened its doors in Belfast in 1971. Its first English store opened in Derby in 1974.
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