A three-storey shopping mall opening soon in Juffair will create up to 300 new jobs.

The Al Raya Mall, described as the first high-end shopping centre in Juffair, is set to open within a matter of weeks, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The 3,000-sq m mall will include entertainment venues, children's recreation areas, food outlets and more than 30 shops, including an Alosra Supermarket, Starbucks, Fakhrudin, Esquires Coffee House, Bluefield Burger Company and Purple Swirl.

Operated by One Bahrain Hospitality, the new mall will be connected to the Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel.

"I used to run the Marriott Hotel, which is now attached to the mall, and this is when the idea came about," said Al Raya general manager Teodor Ardeleanu.

"Guests would often ask us what there was to do nearby and where they could shop, but this area has nothing around.

"Plans have been in the pipeline for about five years; there really is a need for something like this.

"It will have everything: Hair salons, a spa, a computer and mobile shop, a flower shop, a tailoring and laundry shop and we also hope to have a pharmacy, so people can go and do everything they need to do in one go and they don't need to go anywhere else.

"People who live nearby are really excited about it because it will make their lives a lot easier.

"It means many people can just walk there from their buildings and won't have to worry about driving somewhere to do their shopping.

"It will also create a lot of jobs, which is fantastic for Bahrain in general." The Alosra Supermarket opened on Friday on the mall's ground floor and the rest of the facility is due to open officially in the first week of March. - TradeArabia News Service