Amazon has said the UK will be "taking a leading role in global innovation" as it announced plans to hire 1,000 more technology, research and other skilled workers by next year. The US online retailer is to open its first office in Manchester, with room for 600 new jobs in the Hanover Building in the city's Northern Quarter – once the headquarters of the Co-operative Group. Doug Gurr, the UK manager for Amazon, said the UK was "taking a leading role in our global innovation". "These are Silicon Valley jobs in Britain, and further cement our long-term commitment to the UK," he said. Amazon said the new Manchester team would work on research and development, including software development and machine learning.