AFTER AN EXTENSIVE four-year restoration project, Primark’s newly refurbished flagship store in Belfast will re-open later this year, with a target opening date of the first week in November.

A fire broke out on the top floor of the landmark Bank Building in August 2018 and quickly engulfed the whole building. 

The building’s internal floors collapsed in on themselves and 100 firefighters were needed to subdue the blaze.

The 2018 fire at Primark's Bank Buildings store. Liam McBurney / PA Liam McBurney / PA / PA

The new Primark Bank Buildings store will feature 88,200 sq. ft. of brand-new retail space, (an increase of 76% from the previous store size), with a new fifth floor in-store which will house a new Home department.

The store will also feature a brand-new Disney café located on the second floor and a new nail and beauty studio for customers.

360 staff worked in the Bank Buildings store at the time of the fire, many of whom were relocated to other Primarks in the Belfast area.

Primark’s existing store on Castle Street will merge with the restored Bank Buildings site to create the new larger store.

As part of this, the smaller Primark store at Fountain House, Donegall Place will close in the days before the Bank Buildings re-opening, with all employees transferring back to the new store

 Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tina Black, said: “This is a major investment in Belfast city centre after a challenging time for our local economy.”

“This has been a long and complex restoration project, and local traders and shoppers have shown great patience and resilience. We hope the opening of Primark’s extended flagship store will provide a major boost to businesses, particularly in the run-up to the busy Christmas season.”

Northern Ireland will also see the opening of a new Primark store in Rushmere Shopping Centre, Craigavon, later this year.