Business

Primark to shut Derry store - but all 61 staff will be redeployed

Primark says it will shut its store at the Lisnagelvin shopping centre in Derry on April 7
Primark says it will shut its store at the Lisnagelvin shopping centre in Derry on April 7 Primark says it will shut its store at the Lisnagelvin shopping centre in Derry on April 7

PRIMARK is to close its store in Derry's Lisnagelvin shopping centre in April, the company has confirmed.

But the retailer insists there will be no compulsory redundancies, with all 61 staff being offered the chance to work at Newmarket Street store less than two miles away in the city, or at another of its 10 stores across the north.

Primark said its Newmarket Street shop will undergo a major refurbishment this year, which will offer "an enhanced store environment for customers and employees".

In a statement the company said: "In light of this investment and as our lease is now expiring, we have decided to close our Lisnagelvin store in Derry which is one of our older and smaller stores.

"But all Lisnagelvin employees will be offered relocation opportunities at our 32,700 sq ft store in Newmarket Street, which is less than two miles away."

The retailer said it will close at Lisnagelvin on Saturday April 7.

Primark is owned by food-to-fashion group Associated British Foods (ABF), which in the year to September saw sales increase by 15 per cent to £15.4 billion while its profits jumped by nearly a quarter to £1.36 billion.

Within those figures, Primark's revenues rose 19 per cent to £7.05 billion as the chain continued to expand.