MORE THAN 5,000 people have applied for 350 jobs created by the opening of a new Asda store in Newport.

Bosses for the store, which opens in October, have been so overwhelmed by the response they have had to close applications early, and now anticipate they will interview around 1,000 candidates for the positions.

The news comes just weeks after Newport recruitment company Acorn People revealed they too were receiving 150 applications for every advertised position.

The new Asda store, on the site of the city’s former cattle market, is recruiting for a whole range of roles form managerial jobs to shop floor workers, in departments from homeware to fresh food, with full training given to each successful applicant.

General store manager Saul Salway said he and his team have already begun the mammoth task of screening the thousands of applicants at The Orion Suite on Enterprise Way, Pillgwenlly, Newport, and described the response from local job seekers as “phenomenal”.

Many of the new jobs advertised will be targeted at the young term unemployed, and Mr Salway said applicants in Gwent were displaying the type of qualities Asda look for in their staff.

He added qualifications and experience would not be his only concern, but that he was looking for friendly and outgoing people who could interact well with customers.

After sending out 5,000 applications forms, Mr Salway stressed they simply could not accept any more if they were to allocate the jobs and complete training before the store’s grand opening in the autumn.