Primark continues brick-and-mortar investment with anchor store at Ashley Centre

As Primark continues its store expansion scheme, the high street retailer has announced its plans to join the Ashley Centre, Epsom’s lineup.

Primark will occupy 44,000 sq ft in the former House of Fraser space, utilising two floors. Serving as the destination’s anchor tenant, the new store will feature Primark’s full offering including menswear, womenswear and childrenswear, as well as accessories, beauty, home and lifestyle.

The store, which is expected to create around 100 jobs, is set to open in early 2025.

In February, Primark revealed it was planning to invest more than £100 million in its UK stores in 2024, as it marks 50 years on the British high street.

The value fashion chain will also be unveiling some of its biggest ever store extensions across the country in 2024, with its Westfield Stratford store almost doubling in size to 81,000 sq ft, and its store at the Metrocentre in Gateshead upsizing to almost 80,000 sq ft.

Philippa Nibbs, Director of Sales UK, London and the South East at Primark, said: "As we continue to invest in the UK high street, we are delighted to announce our new store in Epsom that will open next year. We look forward to becoming a part of this community and playing a central role in the refurbished Ashley Centre."

The new store complements CBRE IM’s £7 million refurbishment programme, which is reconstructing the external East entrance and implementing enhancements to Central Square to create a more modern and contemporary interior. It is due to be completed later this summer.

The Ashley Centre

Louisa Butters, Head of Retail Asset Management UK at CBRE IM, added: "Primark’s signing is a significant moment for the Ashley Centre. The opening will mark another milestone in our repositioning project that underpins our long-term strategy for the revitalisation of the Ashley Centre, ensuring that it continues to serve the needs of the community in every way possible.

"We look forward to delivering an optimized and enhanced experience and environment for our visitors and reap the benefits of our large-scale refurbishment."

The owner of Primark revealed last month that its half-year earnings soared by more than a third as it rolled out the retailer's Click + Collect service across all its stores in England, Wales and Scotland.

The company's pre-tax profit hit £881 million in the six months to March, up 37% compared with the same period last year. Group revenues ticked up 5% at constant currency to £9.7 billion, driven by demand across its retail and food businesses.