6,000 apply for 1,000 jobs at Staffordshire's newest shopping village

Around 6,000 people have applied for jobs at Staffordshire's newest shopping village.

Around 1,000 vacancies are up for grabs at the £160m McArthurGlen Outlet West Midlands - which is due to open near Cannock Chase in the spring.

Big-name brands including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Kurt Geiger have signed up for the development as well as Five Guys, Wagamama and Starbucks.

Now cabinet members at Cannock Chase Council have revealed that around 6,000 applications have been received for the various jobs on offer at the site.

The authority has previously partnered with Walsall College, Cannock Job Centre Plus and McArthurGlen to launch a retail training programme to help prepare residents for the recruitment process.

An official opening date for the McArthurGlen Outlet West Midlands will be announced in due course.

Councillor Tony Johnson, cabinet member for economic development and planning, said: "Eighty per cent of people applying live within a 15-mile radius of the designer village itself. And 110 ground staff are currently working on the site preparing for the launch.

"Discussions are ongoing as to when the exact date will be. April 12 is when non-essential retail could reopen and McArthurGlen fits into that category. If I know business they will be looking to open as soon as possible – from April 12 if not on April 12 itself."