Fashion and homeware retailer, Next, saw sales rise by 1.5 per cent in the run-up to Christmas.

The chain, which has stores across the county and a brand new flagship store close to opening at the Peel Centre in Gloucester, saw sales in stores slump by 9.2 per cent, but this was offset by a 15.2 per cent rise in online sales, as reported by the BBC.

Despite this, Next has downgraded its full-year profit forecast to £723m, from the £727m previously expected. It said this was due to the sale of seasonal products, such as personalised gifts and beauty products, which bring in lower profits than clothing.

While other retailers started slashing their prices before Christmas, Next didn't give in to the pressure and stuck to its guns with its traditional Boxing Day sale.

With Next's online sales rising so fast, should we worry about the future of the new Gloucester store?

Punchline said: "This is good news from Next, a company which has really got the balance between online and in store sales right. Having had its directories since the 80s, it has always led the way with online sales. With consumers picking up half of their online purchases from its shops, Next definitely still has a place for physical stores."