Next has opened its biggest ever store just one hour from London

While other clothing brands have suffered from closures and falling sales over the past few years, Next that has quietly been going from strength to strength. Alongside M&S, Next is the largest high street brand in the country. It’s been snapping up brands left, right and centre and closing stores to replace them with bigger, better and more conveniently placed ones. Now, Next has opened the doors to its biggest store ever. 

The huge new shop can be found at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent. It spans two floors and takes up a total of 132,000 sq ft in what was previously a House of Fraser. This store is so big, it’s got its own Costa Coffee and a 2,000sq ft space dedicated entirely to Bath & Body Works, selling toiletries and wellness products. 

You’ll find rails of Next own-brand clothing, shoes and accessories alongside brands like Victoria’s Secret, Cath Kidston, Russell & Bromley and FatFace. There’s also an expansive homeware department that features room sets by the likes of Laura Ashley, MADE and Rockett St George. Next Bluewater will also be the first of its branches to launch maternity clothing brand Seraphine, which is Next’s latest acquisition. 

The same concept has recently been introduced to other Next stores across the UK, including Newcastle’s Eldon Square, Canterbury, Ripon and Westfield Stratford City. This latest store also happens to be Bluewater’s first new anchor brand since it opened in 1999 (meaning the dominant brand in the centre of the venue). 

James Waugh, Centre Director at Bluewater, commented: ‘This opening has been years in the making, so it’s incredibly exciting to finally see Next open its doors.

‘The arrival of a brand-new anchor store marks a significant milestone for us and is a strong vote of confidence in the enduring appeal of bricks-and-mortar retail. It’s been fantastic to watch the new store take shape, and we can’t wait to see our guests discover everything it has to offer over the opening weekend and for years to come.’

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