Sovereign Centros has revealed that Primark, the multinational fashion retailer, is set to significantly expand its footprint at the Metrocentre. This expansion will see an addition of 14,100 sq ft to Primark’s trading space, emphasising the brand’s longstanding commitment to the mall.
Primark has been a key tenant of Metrocentre for nearly two decades, having first opened its doors nearly 20 years ago and moving to its current location in Exhibition Square in 2010. The expansion will bring the store’s total retail area to nearly 80,000 sq ft, making it one of the largest Primark stores in the region. The store occupies a pivotal location at Exhibition Square, where the Yellow, Blue, and Platinum Malls converge, ensuring high visibility and foot traffic. The extension into the adjacent ground floor unit is currently in progress, with the grand reopening scheduled for later this summer.
Ben Cox, Senior Asset Manager at Sovereign Centros, shared his enthusiasm for the ongoing developments, stating, “2024 has started just as 2023 ended – with major retailers like Zara and Frasers Group, and now Primark, expanding their presence at Metrocentre. This decision is a testament to decades of strong performance and is in line with our commitment to providing visitors with top-tier flagship stores from the UK’s most beloved brands.”
Echoing this sentiment, Conor Walsh, Director of Sales UK, South West and North East for Primark, expressed excitement about the expansion. “We are thrilled to be extending our Gateshead Metrocentre store, allowing us to offer our customers more of what they love from Primark: great value, an enhanced shopping experience, and an extended product range. We look forward to welcoming our customers to the expanded space, giving them even more reasons to visit.”
This development is part of Primark’s broader strategy of investing over £100 million in its UK stores throughout the year, coinciding with the brand’s 50th anniversary in Great Britain. Primark’s commitment to enlarging its Metrocentre location follows a trend of significant retail investments in the mall. Last year, Metrocentre re-anchored the Red Mall with the relocation and expansion of international retail giants such as Sports Direct, Flannels, and Zara, adding more than 170,000 sq ft of new retail space and reinforcing the mall’s status as a key shopping hub in the UK.
