Jobs boost at new Primark
More than 250 jobs will be created when fashion giant Primark opens the doors of its new Black Country store later this year.
The popular discount fashion chain is opening a new branch at the Merry Hill Centre in Brierley Hill – and bosses say they will be taking on 247 staff when it starts its recruitment operation later this week.
The company will also be taking on a further 18 staff in various management roles before the store's probable opening date, planned for May.
Primark, which opened another branch in Wolverhampton city centre last year, says it will be offering positions as supervisors and retail operatives. There will be 20 full-time positions available, 104 part-time vacancies and 123 weekend-only roles.
Former Dudley Council economic regeneration chief Les Jones welcomed the news. He said: "This is definitely a much-needed boost as we are losing jobs from other industries in the area.
"We now have a lot more women entering the workplace and many of these part-time positions may be ideal for those with commitments such as children.
"It has got to be good news that jobs are coming to the town, although I would like to see more diversity in the type of vacancies being created. Retail is great but it is not the job for everyone."
The chain is expected to have the 47,000 sq ft shop up and running at the Merry Hill Centre in time for the summer after bosses resolved earlier delays that had thrown the opening into doubt.
It had been thought the store would open in time for the Christmas rush but shoppers were left disappointed amid rumours of a hold-up with building work.
Primark snapped up 40 Littlewood's stores in 2005 as part of a national £409 million takeover and will open up to 15 new stores across the country this year, including a flagship store in London's Oxford Street.
