AGM Current Trading Stmnt

Next PLC
17 May 2000

Contact:  David Jones, Chief Executive
          David Keens, Finance Director
          Next plc
          Tel:  [phone]
   
          Alistair Mackinnon-Musson
          Philip Dennis
          Hudson Sandler
          Tel:  [phone]
   
   
                        NEXT PLC
                            
              AGM Current Trading Statement

At  the  Annual General Meeting held today, 17 May  2000,
the   Chairman  of  Next  plc  will  make  the  following
statement:

'In  March  we  announced our results  for  the  year  to
January 2000 and details of our sales performance in  the
first  seven  weeks  of the current  financial  year.   A
further statement on current trading was made on  2  May.
The two weeks since then have been exceptionally strong.

As a result, in the first 15 weeks of this financial year
sales  in NEXT Retail are 11% ahead of the previous year.
Like  for  like sales in the 276 stores which  have  been
trading  for  at  least  one year  are  5%  ahead.   NEXT
Directory  sales for the first 15 weeks are 9%  ahead  of
the previous year.

Taken  together, sales for the NEXT Brand are 10.5% ahead
of the previous year.

In  March  we  also  announced, as part  of  our  ongoing
strategy, the intention to buy back up to 10% of our  own
shares.   Since  that date the Company has purchased  for
cancellation 37.4 million of its shares, representing 10%
of  those previously in issue, at a total cost of  £191.8
million.   The  Company  now has 337  million  shares  in
issue'