WHEN it comes to shopping Primark obviously believes bigger is better after DOUBLING the size of one it its key London stores.
The Sun took an exclusive first look at the brand new store in Stratford before anyone else had a chance to go in.
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The huge structure spans 82,000 square feet and is the brand’s second-biggest store in London.
The new store has moved from two to four floors which is almost double its previous selling space.
Standing outside and looking up at the giant structure that was so tall I couldn’t even see the top, I was excited to take a look inside.
The new Primark, which had been closed for refurbishment, is located inside Westfield Stratford and is bigger than all other Primark stores in London except the Oxford Street store and larger than the size of a UK football field.
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There are 81 tills including controversial self-checkouts so you can get out of the store just as quickly as you came in.
With these, you can skip the long queues and, if you somehow manage to leave with just a few items on your shopping trip, you can pay for the items a lot quicker.
However, the store does have several manned checkouts on all four floors so if you feel like the queue on your floor is getting too long you can try the others.
The self-checkouts are new to many stores but have proved to be controversial with some shoppers.
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Primark is also now trialling sealing customers’ carrier bags with giant “sold” stickers to stop shoplifting in some of its stores.
The retailer first rolled the scheme out in five stores in 2022 and has been extending it to other stores since.
The shop now employs 730 staff adding to its 250-strong team already who work to keep the giant store running.
Primark director of sales for London and the South East, Phillppa Nibbs said: “We’re thrilled to be opening our new Stratford store today and would like to thank all of our colleagues for their hard work in making the store look so brilliant.”
“We’ve more than doubled the number of products available in the store so we can’t wait to welcome back our customers to enjoy shopping even more of what they love from Primark.”
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The store extension forms part of the £100million investment Primark is making into its stores this year as it celebrates 50 years on UK high streets.
What is it like inside?
Primark is already the type of store where you can come out with several bags even if you went for one small item.
In Stratford, the huge range means the chances of this happening are even greater.
It’s a good thing there is a food court in Westfield because I recommend you gather all the energy you need before heading into this store.
You can get a wide variety of Primark ranges in the Stratford store now including:
- Kidswear
- Menswear
- Womenswear
- Primark Home
- Primark Beauty
- Exclusive ranges like The Edit Range
Shoppers can use the store locator tool on its website to check if a range they are looking for is available inside.
If you know yourself well, and reckon it’s likely you will spend hours in the store, you could use Primark’s click and collect service which is available nationwide.
Unlike other stores, this Primark has four entrances and I recommend entering the store on the floor you need – for example heading to the kidwear section on the ground floor.
That way you can access what you need quicker.
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The store ranges include childhood favourites like Disney’s Stitch, Hello Kitty and Shrek, NBA and NFL ranges as well as Rita Ora’s latest collection.
Primarks newest Branded T’s launch is also available in this store.
The range dropped just last week and music lovers can find merc from Nirvana, Snoop Dog, Red Hot Chilli Peppers – just perfect ahead of Glastonbury this summer.
Primark is a big brand, but it’s also a very popular one, meaning that when exclusive limited edition ranges drop you can sometimes find it’s cleared out by the time you reach the store.
In a store like this, it’s much less likely to happen – the range of products and sizes in this store makes sure that there is something for everyone.
The prices don’t differ from the usual Primark bargains you’ll find in other stores, but I can imagine any sales in this store would get pretty hectic.
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The space in between aisles makes the shop feel more like a shopping mall, making for a more enjoyable shopping experience.
At the front of each floor, you’ll find a trend room which shows you some of the hottest fashion and trends available as well as how you can style it.
Parents will be keen to know that the shop also has a huge kidswear range on offer covering an entire floor.
If you like indulging you’ll find the whole second floor dedicated to just womenswear clothing.
You could spend hours in the jeans section alone which hosts a whopping 48 different denim styles.
If you move up to the next floor you’ll find bags, shoes, accessories, lingerie and pyjamas
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Upstairs is a huge homeware selection with anything you could possibly need to touch up your home from flowers to candles, to new dishes.
Although the retailer has pastels out now for spring you’ll always be able to find a neutral range to suit any colour scheme.
The beauty range is also on this floor and you can find every viral Primark dupes in these aisles from face masks to affordable make-up.
The kidswear range is arguably the biggest in the whole shop, with the entire lower floor dedicated to its kidswear with sizes ranging from newborn to 15 years.
Primark told us although you’ll find summer and spring wear in its stores from the New Year, you’ll always be able to find something to suit the weather you’re shopping in.
Yes, you can grab a bikini ahead of summer but still find tracksuits and jumpers until it’s time to turn the heating off.
The store has a whopping 68 fitting rooms including a family changing room and seven accessible fitting rooms.
Primark’s history
PRIMARK first opened in 1969 as Pennies in Dublin, hoping to provide affordable fashion in Ireland.
A Primark store officially opened as Primark in 1974 in Derby.
The retailer now has 193 stores across the UK and 441 stores worldwide with a goal of running 530 stores by the end of 2026.
Primark previously revealed that new shops will pop up in Bury St. Edmund, Teesside Park and Glasgow Fort and dates for their opening have finally been confirmed.
New stores will also open in Epsom, Surrey, and Newbury, Berkshire, in 2025.
Alongside these openings, Primark will open some of its “biggest ever store extensions across the country”, it said.
A total of 15 existing stores will be refurbished this year, including in Cambridge, Chester and Bury.
This means Primark will reach a total of 195 stores across the UK.
Below is a full list of Primark’s stores included in its refit programme:
- Oxford Street East, 14-28 Oxford Street, Fitzrovia, London W1D 1AU
- Bury, The Rock Shopping Centre, South Street, Bury BL9 0ND
- Cwmbran Shopping Centre, General Rees Square, Cwmbran NP44 1AH
- Southport, 1 Chapel Street, Southport PR8 1AE
- Yeovil, 19 Middle Street, Yeovil BA20 1LF
- Barnstaple, 49 – 52 High Street, Barnstaple EX31 1BZ
- Hackney, 365 – 371 Mare Street, London E8 1HY
- Newry, Unit 55 Buttercrane Shopping Centre, Newry BT35 8HJ
- Birkenhead, 212 – 218 Grange Road, Birkenhead CH41 6EA
- Hounslow, 165 – 169 High Street, Hounslow TW3 1QL
- Chelmsford, 9 High Chelmer, Chelmsford CM1 1XL
- Stockport, Chestergate, Stockport SK1 1NT
- Telford, 208 Dean Street, The Telford Centre, Telford TF3 4AP
- Chester, 52-60 Foregate St, Chester CH1 1HA
- Cambridge, 62-74 Burleigh St, Cambridge CB1 1DJ
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
