The launch of the NEXT retail chain in February 1982 had a major influence on High Streets throughout the UK, shaping the future of fashion retailing. The continued success of NEXT's unique and innovative shopping concept has provided the company with an outstanding record of achievement in a comparatively short period of time. Today NEXT trades from over 450 stores in the UK and Eire and 100 franchise stores overseas. Over the last few years several larger format stores have opened across the UK and, in October 2005, NEXT opened the anchor store at the Manchester Arndale Centre with a store in excess of 80,000 square feet. The ground-breaking mail order operation NEXT Directory launched in 1988 with a hardback book containing 350 pages, creating the blueprint for catalogue retailing. There are over 1100 pages in the Autumn/Winter 2006 book offering extensive collections for men, women, children and everything for the well dressed home. Online shopping was introduced in 1999 and the entire book is available to shop from on the internet, page by page - another first in Home Shopping in the UK.
