PRIMARK has opened the doors to a brand-new store at Rushmere shopping centre in Craigavon - its ninth standalone outlet in Northern Ireland.
The 30,800 sq ft store represents a £6 million investment by the retailer in Northern Ireland and is bringing 140 new jobs to the area.
And it comes after its £100 million investment in restoring Belfast Bank Buildings store after it was destroyed in a fire four years ago.
Customers were greeted by a tunnel of Primark employees as they entered the new store, which offers customers the latest everyday trends across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, beauty, lifestyle, and homewares all on one floor.
The new Primark Craigavon-Rushmere store is part of the retailer’s recent announcement to invest £140 million in its UK business over the next two years, by growing its store estate in addition to store upgrades and refurbishments planned for existing stores across the UK.
Speaking at the opening, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough mayor Paul Greenfield said: “It's fantastic to be here today to mark the opening of this wonderful new Primark store in the popular Rushmere Shopping Centre.
“This has been a long-requested addition to the area, and it is clear from the excitement here this morning that the people of Craigavon and the surrounding areas have been looking forward to its opening.
“We welcome this investment by Primark and are pleased to see the creation of 140 new retail jobs which will no doubt be a boost to the local economy.”
Jacqui Byers, area manager for Primark Northern Ireland added: “We are delighted to open the doors at our brand-new Primark Craigavon store today, just in time for Christmas! This is an exciting new location for us, and we are proud to have expanded our presence across Northern Ireland and to see the people of Craigavon and surrounding towns in shopping with us today.
“Following the amazing reopening of Bank Buildings last month, our teams have worked tirelessly to get this new store up and running in time for Christmas, and I would like to thank my colleagues who have been working so hard to make sure we deliver the best in-store experience to our customers.”
Martin Walsh, Rushmere Centre manager, said: “We are thrilled to see the doors open at the fantastic new Primark store in Rushmere. This has been long requested by our customers and is a real boost ahead of Christmas.
“We are very confident that it will be a great success and have no doubt the new Primark employees will receive a warm welcome at Rushmere.”
Primark Craigavon-Rushmere will stock popular licensed ranges including NBA, Disney and NFL as well as popular fashion trends and winter essentials.
It will also offer a wide range of clothes and products under its growing Primark Cares label, as part of the retailer’s pledge to make more sustainable fashion affordable for everyone.
