Primark has hosted the grand opening of its ninth Northern Ireland store in Craigavon today, 16 December.

The new Craigavon store at Rushmere Shopping Centre has created 140 jobs for the local area and represents a £6 million investment by the fashion retailer.

Customers were greeted by a tunnel of Primark employees as they entered the 30,800 sq ft store, which offers customers the latest everyday trends across menswear, womenswear, kidswear, beauty, lifestyle, and homewares all on one floor.

The new Primark Craigavon-Rushmere is part of the retailer's recent announcement to invest £140 million in its UK business over the next two years, by growing its store estate in addition to store upgrades and refurbishments planned for existing stores across the UK.

Speaking at the Primark Craigavon opening, Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Councillor Paul Greenfield said: "It is fantastic to be here today to mark the opening of this wonderful new Primark store in the popular Rushmere Shopping Centre. This has been a long-requested addition to the area, and it is clear from the excitement here this morning that the people of Craigavon and the surrounding areas have been looking forward to its opening. We welcome this investment by Primark and are pleased to see the creation of 140 new retail jobs which will no doubt be a boost to the local economy."


Jacqui Byers, Area Manager for Primark Northern Ireland added: "We are delighted to open the doors at our brand-new Primark Craigavon store today, just in time for Christmas! This is an exciting new location for us, and we are proud to have expanded our presence across Northern Ireland and to see the people of Craigavon and surrounding towns in shopping with us today. Following the amazing re-opening of Bank Buildings last month, our teams have worked tirelessly to get this new store up and running in time for Christmas, and I would like to thank my colleagues who have been working so hard to make sure we deliver the best in-store experience to our customers. So, whether it's festive fashion, winter homewares or everyday essentials, there is something for everyone at Primark Craigavon!"

The opening of Primark Craigavon follows just six weeks after the newly refurbished, five-storey flagship store at The Bank Buildings, Belfast reopened to the public on 01 November.