Derbion has announced that international fashion retailer Primark is expected to relocate its Derby store to a new retail space within the shopping centre. The move will see Primark take up residence in a newly curated space featuring a dedicated entrance on Albion Walk.
Until the new store is ready to open, which is currently estimated for the first half of 2027, Primark will continue trading at its existing location on Cornmarket. The brand, which opened its first-ever store in Great Britain in Derby in 1974, has maintained a strong presence in the city for over five decades. It now operates 198 stores across the UK.
The relocation is part of a significant joint investment by Derbion and Primark. The project has involved working with previous tenants such as Superdrug, H Samuel, The Perfume Shop and Iceland to relocate them within the centre. These retailers have been provided with new store formats, and early results show performance uplifts following their moves.
The arrival of Primark also paves the way for changes to the current Boots store at Derbion. In partnership with the centre’s team, Boots has secured a reconfigured space that will allow the brand to enhance its customer services, including opticians, hearing care, and pharmacy offerings.
Primark’s addition aligns with Derbion’s broader leasing strategy, which balances optimising the performance of existing tenants with introducing new names to its retail mix. Recent arrivals at Derbion include Victoria’s Secret, Seasalt and Luke 1977, while established names such as Footlocker, Pandora and Moss have all invested in store upgrades.
Beyond retail, Derbion continues to grow its leisure provision. The centre has signed agreements with Social Sports Society and Flo Skatepark, who will transform the former 75,000 sq ft Eagle Market space into a new community sports hub.
These continued investments by Derbion and its retailers contribute to the centre attracting more than 15 million visitors annually, reinforcing its position among the top 20 retail and leisure destinations in the UK.
Michael Boundy, Director of Asset Management at Derbion, commented: “We are delighted to announce that Primark will be coming to Derbion, and we are excited to work with them on this fantastic new space. This letting and our investment into this part of the centre has required the support of the whole Derbion team who have done a great job in working with our existing retailers to ensure they are retained and relocated to spaces which will allow them to continue to thrive.
“The arrival of Primark showcases the confidence which leading brands have in Derbion and adds even more variety into our strong tenant mix. The plans for their new store also highlight the investment retailers are making to create innovative new stores which keep shoppers coming back for more. We can’t wait for their opening as we are sure it will attract visitors from across the region to experience what Derbion has to offer.”
Beth McDonald, Managing Director at Derbion, added: “The arrival of Primark marks a major milestone in the ongoing evolution of Derbion. Primark has a proud history in Derby, and we are thrilled to provide this newly curated space which will form part the brand’s next chapter in the city. We look forward to working with the Primark team as they gear up to their opening in 2027.”
Philippa Nibbs, Director of Sales for South & East Region at Primark UK, said: “We’re very proud of our long-standing presence in Derby, with over 50 years of bringing local shoppers our great value fashion, beauty and homeware, creating jobs for local people and supporting the wider community. Our move to Derbion in 2027 will mark an exciting new chapter in our journey and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for our new store. In the meantime, we are open as usual on Cornmarket and look forward to sharing more updates with our customers and colleagues in the coming months.”
