Primark has opened the doors of its brand-new Ballymena store at Fairhill Shopping Centre. To mark the occasion, the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Jackson Minford, joined the store team to officially cut the ribbon of the new Primark Ballymena alongside colleagues. The newly relocated store represents a significant £5 million investment, reinforcing Primark’s long-term commitment to Ballymena and the surrounding area.
The move marks an exciting new chapter for Primark Ballymena, which first opened in the town in 1983 in the Tower Centre. Relocating less than a mile from its original home, the new store at Fairhill spans 26,200 sq. ft of retail space across one floor, doubling the size of the previous store. Shoppers can expect a fresh, modern layout in a bigger and better store, with new features including self-checkouts, modern fixtures and fittings, improved signage and LED lighting, as well as new display units to better showcase Primark’s great value fashion and essentials.
The new Primark Ballymena store will employ 150 people in total, with approximately 70 new jobs created to support the bigger store, providing a welcome boost to the local economy in the run up to the busy Christmas retail period. Across Northern Ireland, Primark employs 1,400 colleagues in its 10 stores. Primark Ballymena has many long-standing colleagues, including Pearl, Prudence, and Lynne, who have worked in the store for over 40 years.
With the new doors opening just in time for the Christmas season, customers can shop a wide range of festive must-haves, including statement party outfits, stylish décor to dress their homes, and plenty of gift ideas for loved ones.
Fintan Costello, Head of Primark Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: “Opening our new Ballymena store is a special moment for our whole team, especially the long-standing colleagues who have served our customers here for so many years. We’re delighted to offer customers a bigger and better store with more of the great value fashion and everyday essentials they love. This £5 million store investment is an important boost for the local community, and we look forward to welcoming customers through the doors and helping them do all their Christmas shopping. We remain committed to Northern Ireland and are continually improving our store network to ensure our customers enjoy the very best of Primark every time they visit.”
Ryan Walker, Owner of the Fairhill shopping centre, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Primark to its new location here at Fairhill. This investment is a major boost for Ballymena and a proud moment for Fairhill as we look towards a vibrant future. Primark’s new store strengthens our retail offering, creates valuable local jobs, and brings a fresh sense of excitement just in time for Christmas. We’re thrilled to see this next chapter begin and look forward to welcoming even more shoppers through the doors of Fairhill. From myself and all of the team at Fairhill, Merry Christmas.”
Primark Ballymena’s relocation is the latest milestone in the retailer’s investment across Northern Ireland, where it now operates 10 stores including Belfast, Craigavon, Derry~Londonderry, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Newtownards, Newry, and Omagh. Earlier this year, Primark launched Primark Home in Belfast, its first-ever standalone homeware store and a world-first for the brand.