Next opens one of its largest stores to date at intu Metrocentre

Fashion retailer Next has opened one of its largest stores to date in the UK at intu Metrocentre, Gateshead. Located in a building which formerly housed BHS, the new two storey store spans 78,000 square feet.

The new store, which officially opens its doors to the public on March 6, is more than double the size of Next's former store at Metrocentre and features the brands full fashion collections for women, men and children as well as a home department and a Costa Coffee cafe. It also showcases Next new concept.

“We’ve invested a significant amount at intu Metrocentre to ensure that our new store is really worth the wait," commented Mark Russell, store manager at Next in a statement. "The new concepts we have are amazing and we believe that all customers are going to love what we have in store."

Next's newly opened store follows a period of investment, which saw intu refurbish the centre's shopping centre for inspirational retailers and create and extend the dining quarter.

"This substantial upsizing at intu Metrocentre reflects the growing appreciation we’re seeing among retailers for the best physical stores in the right locations as they seek to rationalise their store portfolios and gain access to a higher proportion of their target customers," added Kate Grant, regional managing director at intu.

"We have worked closely with Next to build this fantastic new store at the heart of intu Metrocentre and this forms part of intu’s ongoing asset management strategy to evolve and enhance our centres into retail destinations where customers and retailers want to be."

Next is set to open another store at intu Merry Hill in the West Midlands later this year, following construction to convert a Sainsbury’s unit into a state-of-the-art 75,680 square foot store.

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Photos: courtesy of intu