Jobs success for shopping centre

Dalton Park was opened by Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

A new £50m retail development on the site of a former colliery has been hailed as a success in helping to reduce unemployment in Easington.

Two-thirds of workers who found jobs at the newly opened Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Centre, in Murton, County Durham, were previously unemployed.

Dalton Park was opened on 10 April 2003 creating the largest number of jobs based in Seaham for several years.

A total of 155 people have been directly placed into jobs via Jobcentre Plus, with over 60% of them previously unemployed.

Of the staff employed by the shopping outlet, 75% live in the District of Easington, half of them in Seaham or Murton.

Jobcentre Plus, Dalton Park Management Team and New College Durham have worked together to ensure local jobs were given to local people.