A photo posted by The Avenues shows a NEXT hoarding on the former West Elm storefront with an opening slated for spring 2027. Local shoppers say the choice, timeline, and presence of multiple nearby NEXT stores feel surprising.
Readers find the tenant choice unexpected because earlier rumors pointed to Spinneys and because NEXT already has two locations in the mall area.
Shoppers question the long fit-out timeline and suggest NEXT Home or other retail concepts might have been a better fit for the large unit.
# What happened
# Why people are surprised
Readers raised three main issues: the tenant choice, the announced timing, and the mall's recent tenant rumors. Earlier talk suggested Spinneys might take the West Elm space, but the mall reportedly didn't want a supermarket there. That left room for other possibilities, and several commenters said NEXT feels out of place in that prime location.
Shoppers also questioned the spring 2027 opening. They feel a NEXT fit-out for a retail clothing/home store normally takes a couple of months rather than six, so the extended timeline seems unusual.
# Existing NEXT presence and shopper convenience
According to comments, NEXT already operates two locations within The Avenues. One is near the far end of First Avenue with an entrance connected to the road behind the mall. The other is upstairs in the former Office Depot area. If the new store opens, it would be a third location in the same complex.
Some readers welcomed the news, especially parents who said the new location would be convenient for buying children's clothing compared with the other two, which they consider distant within the mall.
# What commenters suggested instead
Readers proposed alternatives they felt would better suit the West Elm unit. Suggestions included NEXT Home (a home-focused variant of the brand), a bookstore, Miniso, or a larger department store like Debenhams. Several comments implied a larger-format or more destination-style tenant would make more sense for the space.
# Online shopping and returns issues
# What to watch next
# Bottom line
A visible NEXT hoarding at the former West Elm site has prompted mixed reactions. Some shoppers appreciate a closer location for certain categories, while others question the fit of another NEXT outlet in a prime unit and the unusually long lead time to opening.
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