Next has announced it will be merging its two stores at Atria Watford into one.

Its older shop inside the shopping centre will close and relocate to the newer Next Home & Beauty store within the shopping centre extension.

It will bring Next's fashion, beauty, and home offerings are under one roof; the first of its kind for the company.

The store will be spread over three floors covering 94,478 square foot.

A 10-year lease has been agreed with Atria Watford with the revamped Next store set to open in April. The upper mall remains open.

A spokesperson for Next said: "We are very excited to announce plans for our new and improved store at Atria Watford - a location where NEXT has already thrived for many years.

"The new unit will bring together the three elements of our offering in one place – fashion, home and beauty – for the first time, for our Watford shoppers to enjoy."

Watford Observer:

Atria Watford has also announced the addition of Victoria's Secret to the shopping centre.

The lingerie company will open next to the Next store in the shopping centre extension. It will have its open entrance as well as a link between the Next store.

An opening date will be confirmed for Victoria's Secret in the coming weeks.

It looked like something was afoot at Next Home & Beauty after pictures taken last week showed the ground floor of Next Home & Beauty had been closed off to the public.

Watford Observer: Work at the Next Home & Beauty store at the atria Watford shopping centre extension Work at the Next Home & Beauty store at the atria Watford shopping centre extension

Today's announcement means there will be an empty space within the shopping centre where Next currently lies. Atria Watford has not confirmed if there will be an immediate replacement.

There has also yet to be any official announcement about the vacant John Lewis space.

But there has been a raft of incomings at the shopping centre in recent months, including Foot Locker, Ann Summers, Puttshack, with Boom Battle Bar set to open on Friday.

Watford Observer: Puttshack WatfordPuttshack Watford

Watford Observer: Foot Locker WatfordFoot Locker Watford

Steve Gray, head of European retail asset management at Global Mutual - which manages Atria Watford owner SGS - said: "Next is a hugely important and long-standing tenant at the centre – and so we are really pleased to have supported them as they reconfigure their offering with us. We know locals and visitors will be incredibly excited by the new store.

"We are also delighted to welcome Victoria’s Secret and a host of other new tenants, further diversifying our offer for shoppers.

"Atria Watford remains a top attraction for the area and the deals are indicative of the strengths we continue to offer brands. We have further updates in the pipeline and look forward to announcing more positive news when we are able."