Mahon Point to hold information open days for retail recruitment

A RECRUITMENT drive to fill 2,200 jobs, which will become available in the retail elements of the €500 million Mahon Point development in the coming years, commences this weekend.

More than 1,800 full-time and part-time jobs will be created at the O’Callaghan Properties Mahon Point Shopping Centre development which opens on February 1, 2005.

Representatives of more than 30 of the best known Irish, European and British retailers will be in Cork this Saturday and Sunday for two recruitment information open days, to be held at Mahon Community Centre.

When all elements of the Mahon Point development are in place it is expected that close to 6,000 people will be employed on the 111-acreretail/leisure/commercial project.

O’Callaghan Properties managing director Owen O’Callaghan said: “These jobs will be on the ground quite quickly, will be filled at a whole variety of skills levels and will have a lot of local take-up. The shopping centre element opens on February 1 next, so the recruitment efforts will intensify in the months ahead.”

An initial 1,800 full-time and part- time jobs will be created at Mahon Point Shopping Centre, which opens on February 1, and close to 400 more jobs will be created in the retail park which opens in two phases, also in 2005.

The shopping centre will house over 50 retail outlets, three restaurants, six food court outlets and an 11-screen cineplex. O’Callaghan Properties said the information days will offer an opportunity for people to meet with retailer representatives and appraise themselves of the jobs that will be available.

“The list of open day attendees reads like a who’s who of Irish and international retailing.

"In addition to the anchor tenants, Debenhams and Tesco, those attending will include NEXT, Zara, French Connection, Champion Sports, Oasis, Golden Discs, Morgan, Ladybird, River Island, Golden Discs, Jane Norman, Jean Scene and many more,” the company said.

It is expected that the retailers will operate a six-to-eight weeks lead-in time to the grand opening in February 2005, resulting in many retail jobs that will be filled by the end of this year.

Mahon Point is being funded by Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH, one of Germany’s largest investment funds. There are close to 1,000 construction workers on site at present, and work will continue until 2008. In 2006 the hotel and leisure centre elements will open.