The first restaurant will open at the 70,000sq ft out of town Next store in Kingswood Retail Park, Hull. This will be followed by Manchester Arndale, Next’s largest store, which is currently undergoing a major refurbishment. Both restaurants are due to open this November.
“Gino D’Acampo not only serves great Italian food, his price points are accessible to all, which is a great fit for Next,” says a spokesperson for D’Acampo.
The Next restaurants will feature an open kitchen, deli bar, a book and grocery store and a Prosecco bar. The store in Hull plans to include a large al fresco dining space and will seat 210 guests.
Gino D’Acampo and Individual Restaurants already run restaurants in London’s Euston Station, Manchester, Leeds and Harrogate. Two further sites will open later this summer, one in Liverpool and one in Camden.
Next is one of a number of major retailers to significantly up its in store restaurant game in recent years. Both House of Fraser and Debenhams recently announced plans to enhance their F&B offers to draw people into their stores and boost their lifestyle credentials.
John Lewis is another department store to have upped the quality of its F&B, partnering with a number of restaurant brands including Rossopomodoro, Comptoir Libanais and Benugo.