centre:mk has today confirmed that Primark will be opening the doors to its new 75,000 sq. foot store on the 16th April 2019.
The widely anticipated Primark store will sit at the heart of centre:mk and is the largest new store to open in centre:mk in the last 25 years.
Spanning over three floors, the store will showcase the entire Primark range. It joins 190 stores and the existing fashion retail mix at centre:mk, which includes John Lewis, Oliver Bonas, River Island, JD Sports, Kurt Geiger, Marks & Spencer, and Jigsaw, amongst others.
The arrival of Primark comes off the back of a successful 2018 for centre:mk who reported footfall growth, above benchmark for shopping centres throughout the country, reporting close to 25 million shopper visits in 2018.
The signing of Primark is a key milestone in the centre’s “Re-imagining an icon” strategy, which has seen investments of over £60m. Key initiatives of the programme include the recently completed 1400 space new technological multi-storey car park behind John Lewis, £10m refurbishment of Sunset Walk and award-winning Guest Services area. All improvements respond to specific consumer needs, with Primark the most requested brand by visitors in exit surveys over a number of years.
Kevin Duffy, Centre Director at centre:mk, comments, “We are thrilled to announce that Primark will be open on the 16th April and joining our fantastic selection of fashion and beauty brands at centre:mk. This is a key moment for us – the new flagship store will be the single biggest store since we introduced Marks & Spencer to centre:mk nearly 25 years ago. Primark is a firm fashion favourite, and so we look forward to attracting more visitors by expanding the centre’s fashion retail mix.”
Pam Gosal, Head of Economy and Culture at Milton Keynes Council, adds, “Primark's decision to open in the heart of the city confirms Milton Keynes retail dominance in the South East. The store will be celebrated by our locals as well as the thousands of regional visitors we attract and will be complemented by the existing retail offer available throughout centre:mk. Investments of this nature reflect the confidence that businesses continue to have in the Milton Keynes economy."
The new store opening is set to provide around 500 new jobs for Milton Keynes.
