Walsall Council invests £7m in Primark store

Queues formed from the early hours Credit: ITV News Central

The new Primark store in Walsall is part of multi-million pound investment by the council to regenerate the town centre.

Walsall Council says it will reap the benefits for years to come - but the Chamber of Commerce sounded a note of caution at the investment.

Primark is the first unit to open its doors in the redeveloped Old Square Shopping Centre.

Future developments include:

  • The Co-op next door to Primark opens in the Autumn

  • £12m has been spent on St Matthew's Quarter

  • Work on New Walsall Market starts next year

  • A cinema and restaurants will open - creating 230 jobs.

These were the first shoppers through the doors at Primark.

Last year Walsall was one of the worst town centres in the country for empty shops. When we put this to the council, and questioned spending on more retail units, they explained that they're demolishing the empty ones, and building bigger units more attractive to big retailers.

The local Chamber of Commerce advises that money should be spread between investment in roads, manufacturing and skills, but with promises of jobs, increased footfall, and ringing tills, today - Walsall was in good spirits.

Here was the queue waiting to get in: