Next opens 8,500 sq ft store at Affinity Sterling Mills Outlet

Next has opened a new 8,576 sq ft outlet at Affinity Sterling Mills Outlet in Scotland, stocking items from across its entire product range.

Next becomes the latest major retailer to join the line-up of fashion, beauty, leisurewear, outdoor apparel and homewares brands including Nike, Adidas, Beauty Outlet and Trespass.

Nicky Lovell, Head of Outlets and Business Development at Global Mutual, which asset manages Affinity Sterling Mills, commented: “We’re seeing first-hand the resilience of the outlet retailing model, with encouraging visitor and sales figures reported since the reopening of retail in Scotland. These new additions - all signed during the most recent lockdown - are testament to the confidence retailers have in outlet as a robust proposition for accessing high levels of footfall in attractive, open-air location - meeting pent up demand of consumers in this market.

“It’s fantastic to welcome the fourth Next Outlet to the Affinity family, having signed 23,500 sq ft at Staffordshire, Lancashire and Devon during the first lockdown in 2020. Our strategic focus is on continually evolving and enhancing the brand mix. By blending national operators with specialist independent brands in this location, we have developed a winning formula that has been a real hit with shoppers.”