Last of the Primark rebels

But the ecstatic reaction to news that Primark is coming to Carlisle suggests that having a branch will transform any town into a paradise.

Darlington has a Primark. The Cumberland News travelled there because of its resemblance to Carlisle. The town is a similar size and, like Carlisle, is the biggest place in a largely rural county (County Durham).

If we see what impact Primark has had on Darlington, perhaps we will gain some insight into what Carlisle can expect.

Ten years after first declaring a desire to come to the Border City, Primark has announced plans to open next winter in what is currently the BHS store in The Lanes shopping centre.

At this point I should confess that I have long been bemused by the nation’s enthusiasm for Primark. It is, after all, a clothes shop. And I have never found those places particularly thrilling.

But I seem to be in a minority, judging by much correspondence to this newspaper and our sister publication, the News & Star .

Many Cumbrians say they travel to places such as Newcastle and Glasgow mainly to shop at Primark.

I’d rather go there to crawl naked through nettles. Maybe experiencing Primark first-hand would change my mind?

Darlington has a pleasant town centre with similar architecture to nearby Durham. Darlington does not have a cathedral. But, unlike its illustrious neighbour, it does have a Primark.

Primark has been in Cornmill Shopping Centre since 2006. The Cornmill is a bit like The Lanes, without the stonework or the otters. They share several of the same shops including HMV and Next.

There are a few different ones too, like Fatso’s: ‘The north east’s number one independent sandwich retailer’.

Primark has two floors: womenswear on the ground floor, men’s and childrenswear upstairs. It seemed big to me, but it’s slightly less than half the size of Carlisle’s 55,000sq ft.

Roger Lytollis It looked much like any other clothes shop, with one important exception. The prices seemed remarkably low.

Here are some of the items I noted in menswear. Boots: £16. Cargo pants: £11. Star Wars T-shirts: £5. T-shirts with a scooped hem (whatever that is) £7. Shirts: £5.50. Beanie hats: £2. Fleece tops: £16. Suits: £40. Slippers: £4. There were also children’s shoes from £1.

I didn’t spend long downstairs: it does not look good for a man to wander through womenswear while scribbling into a notepad.

I did notice a selection of shoes reduced to £9. They were only £10 to start with.

On a Tuesday morning in early November the place was busier than I’ve seen any shop at any time other than just before or just after Christmas.

People poured out of the Cornmill with Primark bags. Ellie Fish, 19, had bought several jumpers for £10 each and a scarf for £7. She was in no doubt about the main reason for Primark’s appeal.

“It’s cheap,” she said. “I buy about 80 per cent of my clothes there. The stuff is alright. Some of it doesn’t last long. It just depends.”

Jessica Pitts, a sixth-form student, was clothed almost entirely in Primark products. She talked me through her outfit and its cost. Coat: £15. Leggings: £2.80. Shoes: £4. Scarf: about £2.

“I think it’s popular because there’s so many people that can’t afford things. It’s good quality. They make similar stuff to big brands. I don’t see the point of buying big brands when this is more affordable.”

David Jackson, commercial director of The Lanes, hopes Primark will attract people to Carlisle.

Susan and Maurice Quarmby had travelled to Darlington from Bishop Auckland, 13 miles away.

“We shop here once a fortnight,” said Susan. “It’s 20 minutes in the car. Lots of people come just because of Primark. The stuff is reasonable for the price.”

She thinks her jacket proves the point. She paid £10 for it.

Primark says it keeps prices down through bulk-buying, no expensive ad campaigns, and ‘streamlined production methods’.

Bill Simon had travelled to Darlington from Durham, 20 miles away. He is concerned about one aspect of Primark’s methods.

“For value it’s always very good. I’m concerned about their ethics. I’ve spent time in Bangladesh. They [Primark] are trying very hard to improve, so they reckon.”

Much of Primark’s stock is made in Bangladesh. In April 2013 a building collapsed there, killing 1,129 people and injuring more than 2,000.

The building contained factories making clothes for more than 20 brands. These included several names familiar to the UK high street. One factory was supplying Primark. The company’s website describes the support it has given to victims and their families.

Bill’s wife declined to give her first name and seemed embarrassed to be thought of as a Primark shopper.

“We don’t normally shop there,” she said. “I can see why people do. It’s very, very cheap. I’ve got friends who shop there. Because they look fabulous in anything, it’s brilliant for them. I think people often think of fashions and say ‘We can’t afford it.’ But you can in Primark. You can wear them for a couple of months until they’re out of fashion.”

Primark may well draw people into towns. But does its success threaten other shops?

Ann Coxon and her husband own Leggs, a fashion retailer on Skinnergate, a couple of streets from the Cornmill. “All shops are good for towns,” said Ann. “It’s better than having an empty unit.

“People shop in Primark and they shop here. It depends what you want. They could be next door to me. It wouldn’t matter to me.

“As an independent, we can’t buy for the prices they sell for. We’ve been here long enough to know that we just need to do our job properly. In an independent people expect a high level of customer service. If you go to Primark you don’t expect to get served by somebody. You pick something up and you go to the counter.”

Ann thinks high streets around the country are under threat, but not from Primark.

“Online shopping is what kills the high street. Primark are on the high street. They’re bringing people into towns. I think we’re a town that has a good mix of shops that draw people in. We’ve got a lot of independents.”

These include Origins Home, a homeware shop on Grange Road. Owner Darren Syddall also has nothing against Primark. “The more shops the merrier – there’s plenty of empty ones. I imagine people will come into Darlington because of Primark.”

He too thinks that independents face other threats, namely parking charges and out-of-town shopping centres. “They’re popping up everywhere. It’s crazy. There’s one just outside Bishop Auckland. It’s no wonder the town’s dead. Is your Primark going in the centre?”

Yes.

“Brilliant.”

Like Ann Coxon, Darren insisted that Primark is not the only shop which people travel to Darlington, or stay in Darlington, for.

“If you want something different, this is one of the only streets in the north east full of independents. People come here from Newcastle.”

So independent shops with their individual offering can compete with the big boys.

But I left Darlington having bought something in only one shop: Primark. I bought a shirt for £7. It seemed impossibly cheap, like many of the shop’s products. I have yet to wear it. But even if it doesn’t last for years, so what? I have become a savvy shopper. And/or a member of a throwaway society.

For what it’s worth, I think Primark will be hugely successful in Carlisle. Maybe those who should worry are other national chains rather than independents.

After leaving Primark I called into Next. A shirt which looked similar to my £7 purchase was £26. A suit cost £110. An hour earlier I’d have regarded these as good value. Now I wasn’t so sure.