HAPPY shoppers made their way into the new Primark store in Southend High Street yesterday, but with several empty units still remaining, is it enough to save our town centre?
The former Primark store in The Royals Shopping Centre, at the bottom of the High Street and just 20 yards from the new one, is now closed and mystery remains as to what the plans for it are.
It is not thought to be up for sale yet, and plenty of Primark stock inside the store is still visible from the outside looking in.
Liza Di Marco, 39, from Westcliff, said: “The Royals is looking a bit sorry for itself now, all that’s really left there is T K Maxx and Boots.
Flashy - the inside of the new store
“I can bet it’s going to stay that way for ages as well. The Primark sign has even gone from the outside and it’s the first store you get to as you walk in. It just doesn’t look very nice.
“I know we are in unprecedented times right now but the High Street has been declining for years now.
“They need something completely fresh and new in the High Street and the shopping centres.”
Closed - the former store in The Royals Shopping Centre
Southend councillor, Ron Woodley, said: “I think like most things in this life, you have to adapt, you have to modify what you do. The Royals is an identity amongst itself, but they have to adapt to these changes, and the offer they give residents.
“It’s up to the management to decide what they do in the future and how they bring people back into these shops, and approach retailers to come into the shopping areas and invest.
“People that own these shopping areas have to start thinking differently now.”
Queues - shoppers snaked around the outside of the store
Shopper, and Southend resident, Stacey Walls, 30, added: “The thing is, at the moment the new store is a novelty, but hopefully it will keep going.
“There are so many stores now going, especially with Covid and everything, you wonder have they opened it at the right time and is it going to stick around?”
A spokesman from The Royals Shopping Centre did not want to comment on the plans, but wished the team at the new Primark store well.
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