Next

Middle England favourite Next is not going to get much in the way of enthusiasm from us- its clothing range, while boasting the occasional surprise, is unexciting, and its store layouts a little depressing in their uniformity across their many branches across the country. The enduring popularity of the chain is a mystery to us- there is so much more sparkling shopping to be done on Oxford Street. But there must be something drawing the shoppers to Next- particularly at sale time when the queues outside are nothing short of extraordinary. The range of excellent value suits and workwear provides a big draw, as does the reasonable and good quality childrenswear, while the generous size range is unusual on the high street. And many families rely on Next for swimwear that lasts for several annual holidays running. Other than that, if you work out what makes the Next shopper tick, let us know.