A "DUMMY" stall is to be set up in the Kingfisher Centre to give shoppers a taste of the new food hall due to open in the spring.

The Kingfisher Food Hall will cover 23,000sq ft of a three-storey building being created on the site of the former bus station.

The 21-stall hall, which will operate seven days a week, will include butchers, bakers, fishmongers and greengrocers.

Raymond Lynch, of food hall letting agent Quarterbridge, said: "We've commissioned work on a full-scale working prototype stall to be installed in the Kingfisher Centre at the end of the year.

"It will be for the benefit of incoming tenants and after Christmas, shoppers will be able to see it."

He added: "The prototype will help retailers visualise their installations and we'll assist them with their design ideas for their own shop fitting requirements."

More than half the food hall space has already been let to tenants from both Redditch and well-known high street names further afield.

David Carver, of centre owners Thornfield, said: "Already, the reaction from shoppers has been astonishing.

"There's been great interest and anticipation for the arrival of this exciting, innovative and all-embracing food venture.

"We firmly believe it will add a significant attraction to the Kingfisher Centre."