Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has confirmed that Primark will open a store in Royal Tunbridge Wells following the retailer’s purchase of the former BHS building in the centre of the town.
In 2023 the Council acquired the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre and has been working hard, together with its asset and development manager RivingtonHark, to bring new brands into the town. The arrival of the hugely popular retailer Primark, which will trade on two floors of a site that extends into the shopping centre, is viewed as another significant step in the revitalisation of the town centre.
A key part of RivingtonHark’s leasing strategy for Royal Victoria Place was to bolster the fashion offering with a landmark anchor tenant. The company said the letting is a ‘turning point’ in the vitality of the centre and will act as a bedrock for leasing and investment into the scheme. “We see clear synergies with Primark’s offer and our current tenants and are confident that their arrival will further facilitate growth and opportunities,” a spokesperson said.
Primark director of sales for London & the South East, Philippa Nibbs said: “We are thrilled to be opening a new store in Tunbridge Wells. We know our customers have wanted a Primark here for a long time, so we can’t wait to open the doors and let our customers shop the products they know and love closer to home. Works will be underway soon and we will update in due course, but in the meantime, customers can shop at our nearby Maidstone and Crawley stores.”
Cllr Justine Rutland, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s chair of the investment advisory panel and cabinet member for economic development said: “It was really important to us to see the former BHS unit filled with a store that many residents, especially young people, have been asking for, and which will complement existing businesses. Its arrival will create jobs and lead to a significant increase in footfall, bringing economic benefits to the town and the wider borough. Where Primark goes, other retailers follow, so this is a great reason to be cheerful for the future of the town centre.’
Primark is expected to begin its refurbishment of the site imminently. Details about an opening date will be communicated by the company in due course.
