Primark extends into former BHS store at intu Merry Hill

Value fashion giant Primark has agreed a deal to extend into the former BHS unit at intu Merry Hill, increasing its presence at the centre by more than 70%.

Work has begun on the new Primark store, which will have 60,000 sq ft of selling space and forms part of a multi-million pound transformation of the centre, based in Dudley near Birmingham.

River Island, Topshop and Topman, and JD Sports have also doubled their space and Next will launch one of its biggest stores in the country at the mall later this year.

Nick Round, regional managing director at intu, said: “An increasing number of retailers are investing in new space at intu Merry Hill, reflecting the genuine confidence in the destination as a place where brands can really flourish.

"We’re looking forward to attracting even more great brands and creating compelling experiences for customers across the midlands as our plans for intu Merry Hill progress," he added.

At 1.7m sq ft, intu Merry Hill is one of the largest shopping centres in the UK, attracting 21m visitors a year. It came under the full ownership of intu in 2016 and the shopping centre owner has since announced it is investing £100m in its malls and building a major leisure destination.