BUDGET fashion giant New Look is to triple the size of its presence and create dozens of new jobs in Southampton's WestQuay by taking on the vast former Waitrose shop.

It's just the latest low cost clothing chain to open a massive shop in Southampton.

At 28,000 square feet it's more than twice the size of the new city centre branch of rival brand Peacocks, itself one of the biggest chains in the country.

Meanwhile discount designer name TK Maxx is to take over the 22,500 sq ft Woolworths store in Above Bar when it pulls out later this year.

Now Primark, Peacocks, TK Maxx, New Look, Ethel Austin, Mark One and Matalan - all budget fashion - all have a significcant presence in Southampton.

Weymouth-based New Look, which uses DJ and TV presenter Fearne Cotton as a model, pictured, also has branches in Portswood, Romsey, Eastleigh and Winchester.

The business was up for sale but the deal collapsed when bidders refused to meet the £1.8 billion price tag.

New Look's store switch is a coup for WestQuay management, which was left with an ailing corner of the centre after Waitrose pulled out of one of its biggest stores in July 2006 and moved to Portswood.

It makes a hat-trick of new stores for the shopping centre, with sandwich chain Pret A Manger due to open at the end of the month and salad brand SumoSalad opening its second UK store here last week.

When open in the former Nike shop at the Above Bar entrance to the centre, Pret A Manger will be the biggest outlet in the country and will create 16 jobs.

It is unclear what will replace the existing New Look store in WestQuay when it moves, which is scheduled to take place before Christmas, but centre bosses said they were in talks with a number of interested firms.

Andy Collyer, general manager for WestQuay, said: "It is always excellent news when a retailer wants to increase its store size and broaden the range of merchandise it can offer to WestQuay visitors and the former Waitrose unit is going to be perfect for New Look.

"As the region's fashion capital, we have a number of retailers who have expressed interest in taking a unit at WestQuay so we are already discussing the former New Look store opportunity with them."