CLARKS Village is about to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a weekend of activities and exclusive offers.

The opening, on August 14, 1993, put Somerset on the UK retail map as outlet shopping was unveiled to British customers for the first time.

Since then, the retail and leisure destination has become a key part of the region after opening its doors to 50,000 guests in spectacular style.

As well as becoming a shopping destination of choice for many in the region, it has attracted visitors from across the UK and internationally.

To mark the milestone, a celebratory, jam-packed weekend of activities, family-friendly fun and exclusive offers will launch at Clarks Village across the weekend of Saturday to Monday, August 12-14.

The gardens will be transformerd nto a bustling street party, with a 40-stall artisan market, live roaming 90s music, family-friendly activities including face painting, store competitions and giveaways.

Opening in 1993 on the site of old C&J Clark factory buildings, the original shops included Benetton, Clarks, Dartington Crystal, Farah, Laura Ashley, Pierre Cardin, Thorntons and Wrangler.

The initial development included shops, cafes and restaurants and was built in 22 weeks and cost £3million.

More than 300 jobs were created and 15,000 plants were moved to the site before the opening to create the central gardens.

Centre director Chris Davis said: "Celebrating such an incredible milestone means so much to us all at Clarks Village.

"As the first ever outlet to open in the UK, it’s a great honour to be a part of such a special occasion for British retail and we’re looking forward to a fantastic weekend of celebrations during the summer.

“Outlet shopping continues to be a firm favourite for shoppers and with the variety of store openings we’ve already seen this year, we’re looking forward to welcoming even more guests to the outlet in the years to come.”

New stores that have opened at the outlet this year include Sweaty Betty, Bubble T, Hugo Boss, ZWILLING and The Village Bite Box.

Clarks Village has also partnered with charities Key4Life and Ahead Partnership to support local young people into employment and education.