Next Steps Nursery, the Next Retail Office’s staff nursery, is located on the site of the company’s headquarters in Enderby.

Having planned a grand firework event for its children and their parents/guardians on ground to the rear of their premises, the company responded to a plea from the nearby East Midlands Dog Rescue Centre on Seine Lane.

The Rescue Centre, a registered charity, had appealed to NEXT following concerns that the planned bonfire event, with its associated explosions and other loud noises, would have a traumatic effect on the animals in its care.

Via its social media, NEXT responded to a number of people who had posted messages criticising holding the event so close to the rescue centre.

The company posted:

Next would like to thank everyone who has been in touch to let us know about the Next Steps Nursery firework display, planned for Wednesday 4 November.

It certainly wasn’t ever our intention to cause any additional distress to the dogs or carers at the ‘East Midland Dog Rescue’ centre, so we would like to confirm that we have cancelled the firework display.

We are very sorry to have caused any unnecessary concern.