Primark to plough £140m into UK high streets, creating 850 jobs

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Primark has pledged to invest £140m into new shops across the UK during the next two years in a plan that will create at least 850 new jobs.

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Primark has plans to grow its store portfolio to 530 in the next four years

The value fashion retailer has lifted the lid on plans to open four new stores in Craigavon, Salisbury, Teesside Park and Bury St Edmunds – the latter on the site of a former Debenhams.

It will also relocate its stores in Bradford and High Wycombe.

Primark chief executive Paul Marchant told The Sun: “The UK is our biggest market and, as we continue to grow and expand our business internationally, we remain as committed as ever to investing in our stores to offer more customers our great value clothing, beauty, homewares and more.”

Primark operates 190 shops in the UK and employs 30,000 people. It has ambitious plans to grow its portfolio to 530 stores across the globe during the next four years.

Earlier this month, it unveiled its “aggressive” aims for expansion in the US, where it wants to rapidly build its footprint from 13 stores to 60 by 2026.

Details of that growth drive came just weeks after Primark launched its click-and-collect trial as the retailer dips its toe into ecommerce for the first time.

Primark is piloting the initiative in 25 stores across the northwest of England, including its shops in Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Chester.

The new service allows customers to shop 2,000 children’s products online, across clothing and nursery products and toys, before collecting their order at their chosen store.

Primark has installed a minimum order value of £15 but there will be no delivery charges.