An average customer walking into a Next store at 9am on a Saturday morning will be presented with a tidy display of clothes and shoes, home ware and giftware, and peruse the shop with the faintly pleasing scent of Next brand perfumes in their nostrils while subconsciously finding themselves content under the aesthetically pleasing decor. Do you have any idea how far from the truth this is for the people who have to work in these Next stores? Founded in 1864, last year counted 52,533 employees working in Britain, Europe, Asia and the Middle East to provide great service and fabulous style choices for the all the customers who choose to come and shop there. That's almost 53,000 people who will understand the following 17 problems, which only apply to those poor people who have chosen a career in retail and somehow ended up in none other than Next. It doesn't matter that the retail brand opened in Leeds and has made a revenue of almost £4000 million since opening; if you're spending your 9-5 hours on your feet tidying clothes, you're probably not going to care all that much for the bigger picture, and will instead feel more concern for when your next lunch break is coming up.
I love Stephen King and music festivals; I eat my toast upside down; I daydream about getting married probably a bit too much; and I wish every day for a pet sausage dog puppy (who never materialises – sob).
