Jobs boost for shopping village

More than 300 jobs are to be created over the coming months as a popular Oxfordshire shopping village expands.

Centre management say Bicester village is now one of the county's top tourist spots and attracts one in five of all Chinese tourists to the UK.

About 30 new stores and a restaurant will be open by Christmas with the first four shops taking their first customers on Thursday.

The centre opened in 1995 and currently employees about 1,200 staff.

Miranda Markham, Bicester Village director, said: "We have worked out Chinese visitors account for about 30% of our oversees visitors and is a big market.

"With one in five of all Chinese tourists to the UK coming to the village.

"We do have to meet demand and this is behind the expansion.

"With our success we are now major employer in the county and this expansion will provide even more jobs."