Primark comments on former Wilko store in Haverfordwest

Pembrokeshire County Council has agreed heads of terms with an unnamed business and could see confirmation within the next 12 months.

Cllr Paul Miller of Pembrokeshire County Council said commercial confidentiality prevented the retailer being named.

Local speculation has focused on Primark, although no announcement has been made.

The former Wilko unit is among the town’s largest retail spaces, making it suitable for only a limited number of national chains. When asked whether Primark was involved, Cllr Miller did not confirm or deny the claim.

Wilko entered administration in 2023, leaving a large empty unit and reducing activity in Haverfordwest's town centre. To prepare the building for a new occupier, the council carried out essential structural improvements, including roof repairs, supported by a £1 million Town Centre loan.

Cllr Paul Miller said: “The new tenant in Wilko will be a big anchor tenant for us, and we are already having people in the industry who know what's going on there, asking to be involved in Haverfordwest's future too.”

Councilor Paul Miller (Image: Newsquest)

Cllr Paul Miller said: “The new tenant will be better than Wilko. People will be really pleased.”

The possible arrival comes as the council seeks to increase activity and visitor numbers in Haverfordwest through their regeneration projects. If confirmed, the store would fill a major gap left by Wilko and could bring more shoppers into the town centre.

Some residents have questioned the council's decision to spend £19 million on the new multi-storey car park, arguing the money could have been better used elsewhere. However, Cllr Paul Miller said the investment had already proved its worth, claiming the new Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange and car park played a key role in attracting the retailer to the former Wilko site.

Cllr Miller said: “One of the major pull factors for the new tenant was the new car park, the Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange.”

The council has highlighted the development's role in securing an occupier for the prominent town centre building, with Cllr Miller expressing hope that the improved parking and transport links will encourage further businesses to invest in Haverfordwest. He described the car park as a significant investment in the town's future, designed to increase footfall and support wider regeneration efforts.

(Image: Google Street View)

Nearby businesses could benefit from increased spending, while the council hopes the new anchor tenant will support wider high street recovery.

Haverfordwest has faced falling footfall and the loss of well-known shops in recent years.

Cllr Paul Miller said: “ I think people are already seeing the difference."

He said the wider regeneration programme would take time to complete, with changes expected over several years rather than immediately.

Cllr Paul Miller said: “These things will take another three or five years to play out.”

The council has not given a date for the tenant’s public confirmation. Until then, Primark remains speculation rather than confirmed information.

A Primark spokesperson said: "We love to hear that people would like to have a Primark store near them. As a growing business, we're always looking for new opportunities for store locations, however we can't comment on speculation about where we might open next."

For now, the agreed terms are the clearest sign that the former Wilko building could return to use.

"Any agreement remains subject to final arrangements and public confirmation," said Cllr Miller.