After a Four Year Wait, the Brand-new Primark Store Opens its Doors
Tara O’Neill
At 5am on Tuesday November 1, over one thousand eager customers from all over Northern Ireland lined Royal Avenue in anticipation of being among the first to enter the revamped flagship Primark store.
At a far cry from the yellow containers and scaffolding that encased the desolate building for four years, the revamped store dazzles Royal Avenue with colour and vibrancy, freeing up footpaths and roads adjacent that have been cordoned off in the lengthy restoration process.
Following an accidental fire at the historic listed Bank Building premises in August 2018, Primark was subsequently divided into the Castle Street women’s and homeware store, and the men’s and childrenswear store at Fountain House. After the pandemic, anticipation was only heightened, and the expectations for the new store were nothing short of sky high.
The retail giant invested around £100 million in restoring and regenerating the store, increasing its original retail space by an estimated 76 per cent and creating a staggering 300 new jobs. This will, no doubt, bring a well-needed boost to Belfast's local economy, and allow for the high street to thrive once more in the face of encroaching online retail competitors.
Impressively, the sandstone façade at the front exterior of the building has been spectacularly mended and renovated.
Featuring a brand-new nail bar, beauty studio, and a Disney-themed department, including a café and photo area, the variety of the five storey premises spans across an impressive 88,200 square feet.
Offering on-trend, catwalk inspired fashion, accessories, and homeware goods at a fraction of the price, it is hoped that the restoration of the store will encourage well-needed footfall in the city centre, particularly ahead of the Christmas trading period, a time which will, no doubt, prove financially challenging for many this year.
With queues snaking round Castle Street every day since its opening, the new store has proven to be a hit with shoppers, with many leaving with bags bursting with the high street's latest fashion.
After a visit to Primark a week after its initial reopening, Ulster University student of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Lakeisha Newcombe had this to say;
“I found that it was great for my essential bits and pieces. I managed to pick up things like make-up wipes, tan, socks, and new pyjamas all for a really affordable price, which is great for me as a student. Although, I was disappointed at their lack of sizes available and I didn’t manage to buy any clothes for myself, I suppose that’s to be expected in the first week of opening though. Even so, the new shop is stunning!”
However, not everyone is entirely impressed with the hype surrounding the fast-fashion stores reopening. Ellen-Louise Cleary, student of International Relations and Politics at Queen’s University Belfast, expressed her distaste for the brand and the influx of customers within its first week of retail;
“The queues outside the reopened Primark building are a sad testament of the culture in the north, where the opening of a store selling unsustainable poor quality fashion items perpetuating a consistent cycle of microtrends and overconsumption results in people camping outside from 5am. I think it’s a real shame.”
Whether Primark is your go-to for the latest fashion, or an indicator of unfettered materialism, there is no doubt that the newly-renovated store will prove a hit this Christmas for Belfast City Centre.
Tara O’Neill is an International Relations and Politics student at Queen’s University Belfast and a Deputy Health & Lifestyle Editor for The Scoop.