Asda has been flooded with almost 2,500 online applications for jobs at its new Forfar store.
The company has confirmed November 7 as the opening date for its New Road premises on the site of the former Angus Council St James House HQ.
Asda is creating 230 jobs, all of which the firm say will be available to local people.
The list has already been whittled down to around 300 people who have made it through to group selection sessions.
Applicants are now being interviewed at the recruitment centre, the former Universal Group call centre in St James Road a stone’s throw from the new premises.
So far, 40 candidates have been offered jobs and further interviews will be taking place over the coming weeks.
General store manager Robert Hallyburton said: ”At Asda we always believe in recruiting our colleagues for attitude and training them for skill, but in this case the calibre of candidates has been exceptionally high all round.
”It will make the job of recruiting that much easier and I am confident we will readily fill every role that’s on offer.”
Asda said it typically offers City & Guilds apprenticeships to new recruits between the ages of 16 and 24, but the new Asda Forfar is one of five trialling a system where all staff who successfully complete their 12 weeks’ training will be offered an apprenticeship with the Guilds qualification.