A new fashion store could soon open in Middlesbrough town centre as signs appear inside a former Next store.
Posters displayed at the unit on Linthorpe Road advertise a new 'fashion house' business, alongside recruitment notices seeking staff ahead of an opening described as "coming soon".
The adverts specifically welcome former staff from three of Middlesbrough's best-known department stores, all of which have now disappeared from the town centre.
One sign reads: "Fashion House. Opening soon. Staff required.
"Ex M&S, Debenhams and House of Fraser staff welcome."
Another advert states the business is looking for someone to manage its social media presence across platforms including Facebook and TikTok.
The development comes more than a year after clothing retailer Next closed its Middlesbrough town centre branch.
Next shut its Linthorpe Road store in July 2025 and, almost a year later, the building was put up for sale with a guide price of £310,000.
Alongside growing curiosity about what the new retailer could bring to Middlesbrough, the recruitment campaign may be most notable for its direct appeal to former staff of Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and House of Fraser.
Debenhams, located at the corner of Newport Road and Linthorpe Road, closed for good in May 2021 after 110 years when Boohoo bought the brand and made it online only.
The former Debenhams store in Middlesbrough town centre (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
The building, which has been closed ever since, recently hit the market once again.
House of Fraser's store in the town closed in 2022 after almost 100 years of trading, while Marks and Spencer shut the following year after 122 years in the town.
The former M&S was due to be turned into Ideal Home Store this year, but its future now remains unclear after the venture failed to open.
The former Marks and Spencer store in Middlesbrough town centre (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
The posters suggest Fashion House is hoping to tap into the experience of former department store workers with strong links to the area and its shopping community.
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While details of the store have yet to be fully revealed, its name and the signs displayed in the windows suggest clothing retail could soon be returning to the Linthorpe Road unit.
The signs also promote womenswear brand Nougat London, which has previously said it will operate an unmanned concession inside the store.
For now, the posters provide the clearest indication yet that the prominent former Next building could soon be welcoming customers once again.