A major new retail store is set to open at the former Allders site.

The former department store in Croydon will be transformed into Croydon Village, according to posters outside the department store.

The company behind the scheme is understood to be Metro Outlet Croydon Ltd, who have struck a deal with landlords Minerva to use the department store which closed in September last year, with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Minerva is yet to comment on the development despite people filling out job applications on Friday and Saturday at the site.

It is understood the new outlet store is expected to open in September and will feature both retail units and a food hall.

It is unclear how many jobs will be created at the new site, but it is expected to be hundreds.

The company behind the development has already started recruiting staff for a range of roles, with recruitment stalls at the Allders site on Friday and Saturday.

Developers Westfield and Hammerson, who are due to redevelop the store as part of their plans to transform central Croydon with the UK’s biggest shopping centre, have not been included in any discussions about the news store and were not aware of it.

However it is understood the outlet store does not figure in their plans for the site.

A Metro Outlet store took over department store TJ Hughes in Middlesbrough in 2012 after it closed. The shop has since returned to being a TJ Hughes again.

It is unclear if the same company is behind the outlet store in Croydon.