• Next to rent entire Plaza shopping centre, currently home to 20 units
  • Store will be 73,000 sq ft and have a 50m frontage on Oxford Street
  • Retailer plans to launch the store by the end of 2017, prior to Crossrail launch

Next will transform the entire Plaza shopping centre on Oxford Street into a flagship store by the end of 2017, the retailer has revealed.

The 73,000 sq ft store will boast a frontage of around 50m, running between Wells Street and Berners Street. Next plans to incorporate a Lipsy concession and an in-store cafe into the store, which will trade over two floors.

The Plaza will be redeveloped by its German owner Sirosa, which will knock all 20 units of the centre together to create the flagship store. Retailers including Accessorize, USC and WHSmith currently have units in the centre, alongside fast food chain KFC and EasyGym.

Next’s nearest store is at 327-329 Oxford Street, near Bond Street station. The opening of the new store will pre-empt the arrival of Crossrail at Tottenham Court Road in 2018.

A Next spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that we’ve signed up for a store at 120 Oxford Street. This is currently the Plaza Shopping Centre.

“The store will include womenswear, menswear, kidswear and a home department. We also hope to have a Lipsy and an in-store cafe within the store. We endeavour for the store to open by the close of 2017 – although we will confirm closer to that time.”