Bolton Primark to take over former Debenhams
The fast fashion retailer is bidding Crompton Place adieu, with ambitions to relocate just a few blocks away at Market Place Shopping Centre.
Primark’s move away from Crompton Place will enable Bolton Council to move forward with its plans to demolish the 280,000 sq ft shopping centre – a crucial part of the local authority’s £1bn town centre regeneration strategy.
As of last summer, the strategy called for building a 110-bed hotel, 150 homes, and 113,000 sq ft of offices on the Crompton Place site, with an aim for work to start in 2024. Plans, however, could change, with Bolton Council director of place Jon Dyson saying that the local authority is continuing to explore options for Crompton Place’s future.
“This is a significant step towards the regeneration of this part of town,” Dyson said.
Market Place Shopping Centre owners Moorgarth Retail said the company would work with Primark on the new store, which would occupy the ground floor and part of the lower ground floor of the former Debenhams unit. Primark and Moorgarth are shooting for a late 2024 or early 2025 opening date.
Alison Stewart, asset manager at Moorgarth, described the Primark deal as “a massive vote of confidence” in Market Place.
“It consolidates even further the retail and leisure offer in the town, will strengthen the offer and wider visitor attraction to Bolton and Market Place, and delivers a new anchor store with massive multi-million-pound investment into Bolton Town Centre,” she continued.
On Primark’s part, UK retail director Kari Rodgers said the retailer was “thrilled” with the plans to relocate the Bolton shop to Market Place.
“We know our customers will be excited to shop the Primark products they know and love in the new store,” Rodgers said. “We hope to give more Bolton shoppers more reasons to visit their town centre.”
Bolton Council’s Dyson also shared Rodgers’s pleasure in the Primark relocation news.
“We are delighted that Primark has committed to a continued presence in the town centre, and at such a prime location,” he said.
“As shopping habits change, we are working to consolidate the retail offer around Market Place and create a town centre that also provides a mix of residential, hospitality and leisure.”
Are we not getting a bit over excited about this? It was always going to relocate in the near future. What people really want to know is what will be happening to the Crompton Place and when will investment happen in the town centre?
By MJ
If this doesn’t happen until early 2025 then we can safely assume that nothing is going to happen with the redevelopment of Crompton Place for at least 2 years. Add in 9 months or so for demolition and a couple of years to build a replacement, and it could be 2029 before any tangible benefit is seen. And that’s if they can attract the investment, which given Bolton Councils failure to attract investment in the town centre over the last 20 years, is a very big if.
By Nick
Bolton Council still have a big funding issue over Crompton Place, unless that’s resolved nothing will happen. Keeping Primark in the town is a good thing but so many store have gone and redevelopment is coming far too late.
By Jon P
Bolton Tory Council has neither developer or funds to regenerate town centre and are just relying on losing next council election and leaving Labour with the problem of dealing with the consequences of it broken promises.Bolton politicians have managed to turn what 30 years ago was the fourth major shopping destination in north west info a absolute dump.becsuse of their terrible planning decisions.Forget Liverpool political leadership Bolton is by far worst in North.
By Anonymous
Bolton desperately needs to introduce free parking in the town centre to attract shoppers and compete with Middlebrook and The Trafford Centre. It’s an absolute must if they are going to save what is left of the retail offering.
By Nick