New city-centre store to open the day after Ridings shop closes
Primark has given Wakefield shoppers a precise date for the opening of its relocated city-centre shop: the new store at Trinity Walk will open at 9am on Friday 27 November. The retailer confirmed the current outlet in The Ridings Shopping Centre will close permanently at 5.30pm on Thursday 26 November to enable the move.
The company is relocating into the former Debenhams unit at Trinity Walk, a prominent site in the heart of the city. The new Primark will offer approximately 30,000 sq ft of retail space on a single floor, a modest increase over the footprint of the existing shop, and promises a refreshed layout with upgraded fixtures, improved signage and new display units.
- Opening time: 9am, Friday 27 November
- Closure of old shop: 5.30pm, Thursday 26 November
- Size: c. 30,000 sq ft on one floor
- Staffing: Around 80 existing colleagues transferring; 40 new recruits; total team c. 120
Jobs, services and the Christmas trading period
Primark said all 80 existing colleagues from the Ridings will transfer to Trinity Walk, and that it has recruited a further 40 colleagues, bringing the workforce at the new site to roughly 120 people. The timing of the opening – just ahead of the key Christmas shopping period – was highlighted by the retailer as an opportunity to offer customers a fresh destination for gifts, partywear, winter clothing and homeware.
The new unit will also include Primark’s Click & Collect service, enabling customers to access a broader range of products via the retailer’s website and collect purchases in store. That element is likely to be important for shoppers seeking convenience during the festive rush.
Impact on Trinity Walk and the former Debenhams unit
Trinity Walk centre management welcomed the arrival, saying the Primark deal would help to revitalise the large, vacant former Debenhams space. Tenpin – the bowling and leisure operator – is also set to occupy part of the unit, with centre management suggesting the combined arrivals will make a substantial change to the city-centre retail offer.
“Thanks to Primark and Tenpin, the iconic former Debenhams unit will be fully reborn, which is testament to these brands and the attraction of Wakefield as a city to do business, visit and shop.”
Primark’s regional director underlined the retailer’s long presence in the city and framed the move as an evolution of its Wakefield business.
“We’ve been proud to serve customers in Wakefield for more than 30 years, and we’re delighted to be continuing that journey from our new home at Trinity Walk,”
The relocation is part of a broader trend in town-centre redevelopment, where large department-store sites are being repurposed by value retailers and leisure operators. For Wakefield, the replacement of a national department store by a high-footfall fashion chain and a leisure operator could influence pedestrian flows, nearby independent shops and the look of the central shopping quarter during the crucial winter months.
Practicalities for shoppers and staff
There will be a short gap between the Ridings store closing and Trinity Walk opening: customers should note the one evening shutdown while staff and stock move across. The new single-floor layout may alter how customers navigate the store compared with the former Ridings premises; however, the expanded floor area suggests Primark will be able to increase product ranges in clothing and homeware.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening time | 9am, 27 November |
| Old shop closure | 5.30pm, 26 November |
| Floor space | c. 30,000 sq ft (one floor) |
| Staff numbers | c. 120 (80 transferring + 40 recruited) |
For Wakefield residents the move represents both continuity and change: a long-established retailer staying in the city while moving into a high-profile unit that had been vacant since Debenhams’ departure. How the new Primark and accompanying leisure operators affect footfall, neighbouring traders and the look of Trinity Walk will become clearer in the weeks after the opening.
