'End of an era' shoppers sob as Next closes another 'fantastic' store
Shoppers have let out a collective groan after Next pulled down the shutters on a 'fantastic' store.
It comes after the fashion chain closed 11 branches in the UK since September last year, in a blow to shoppers.
Next, which has around 460 branches in Britain, told The Sun it has closed its Outlet store in Abbey Wood Retail Park, Bristol.
Outlet stores are different from normal Next stores and offer a selection of outlet products, past season collections and sale items at discounted prices that you won't find anywhere else.
The fashion giant said the branch was closed after the lease expired.
The next nearest Next branch for shoppers is at The Mall in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, approximately four miles away.
Read more in Store Closings
Locals are full of praise for the branch, which has many five-star reviews Googling.
One person said: “Service was fantastic compared to what you normally find in a clothing store!”
Another said: “You can often find a real bargain here,” while a third commented: “Very friendly, helpful, polite, warm and lovely staff.”
Others online are devastated after hearing the branch has closed for good, with one calling it the 'end of an era'.
It comes after Next closed a series of branches on February 10, including another Outlet store in Ipswich, Suffolk.
Meanwhile, it confirmed in September that it would close 11 stores by the end of the year.
Six of the stores were not expected to achieve their target margins, while two involved site redevelopment.
The other three have been closed because no agreements could be made with the landlords of the locations.
It came after the fashion retailer closed a branch in Derry, Northern Ireland, in February last year, after its branch in Hatfield, Hertfordshire closed the month before.
The high street has taken a serious hit in recent years as shoppers increasingly turn to online stores.
High energy and labor costs and business rates have also increased pressure on retailers.
Recent figures from the Center for Retail Research show that more than 10,000 stores will close permanently by 2023 alone, with roughly 120,000 jobs lost.
A number of notable brands have gone bankrupt, including Wilko, Paperchase and most recently The Body Shop.
Other retailers have also been forced to close branches, including Iceland, Boots and Matalan.
But it's not all bad news for the high street, as a number of chains are opening branches.
Asda is massively expanding its portfolio of smaller Express stores, with plans to open 110 by the end of February.
Earlier this month, Primark confirmed plans to open new branches and invest and renovate more than a dozen existing stores.
Meanwhile, Wilko has made a comeback on the high street, opening stores in Plymouth, Luton and Exeter before the end of last year.
And in January, discount chain B&M said it planned to open 17 new branches by 2024, some of which would open soon.
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