Primark look set to reopen one of the largest vacant units in Belfast city centre.
The fashion discounter has submitted a planning application indicating it will open a Primark Home store in Fountain House on Donegall Place.
The retailer has applied to Belfast City Council for permission to erect two Primark Home signs on the building.
The Dublin-based retailer originally bought Fountain House in late 2018 in the aftermath of the fire which devastated its Bank Buildings store in Belfast.
The property deal precipitated New Look closing its flagship Belfast outlet in January 2019, with Primark taking over Fountain House.
Priamark was able to reopen the modern extension at Commonwealth House on Castle Street in December 2018 and operated two city centre stores for a period.
Fountain House eventually went back on the market in late 2022 when the new Bank Buildings store reopened.
Fountain House has been vacant since then.
But that could soon change, with Primark seeking to set up a homewares outlet in the building it still owns.
The plans submitted to Belfast City Council indicate Fountain House will reopen entrances onto both Donegall Place and Fountain Street.
It’s unclear how many floors will be used as shop space.
But it could represent the latest boost for Donegall Place following the opening of The Ivy at Cleaver House and Lunn’s plans to expand its footprint into the vacant unit previously used by Oasis on the street.
HSBC is also relocating its Belfast city centre branch to the vacant former River Island store on the street.
Fountain House was built across 1935-1937, but was previously home to Moore House after James Moore’s printers and stationers, which dates back to the 1850s.
It was later occupied by Etam and Thornton’s before a significant renovation project was completed in 2007 with New Look moving in.
