A new independent food shop has opened in the city's Jewellery Quarter - in an eight-foot-wide loading bay.

The Eight Foot Grocer is a new venture launched by 30-year-old Chris James who has decided to start his own business after spending nearly eight years working in restaurant management in London.

He has relocated to Birmingham to follow a dream of running his own enterprise, turning the quirky venue into a new fruit and veg store.

He said: "It's literally eight feet wide and it was an old loading bay for a biscuit factory. I turned 30 and had dreamed about setting something up for a long time.

"Birmingham's an area that's on the up and the Jewellery Quarter's a really exciting place with lots of building going on at the moment."

Based just off St Paul's Square, the store is in Caroline Street opposite the Bloc Hotel and next to Braderie vintage clothing shop.

Mr James is decorating the walls with photography by local artists and receiving daily bread deliveries from Jewellery Quarter bakery Peel and Stone which launched in May.

He also stocks a collection of jams, marmalades, locally-made Cufuffle Preserves, Kneals Chocolates and Pip's Hot Sauce, serving porridge for breakfast and sandwiches, salads and cakes for lunch.

He said: "When it comes to sourcing the produce, I'm staying as local as possible and, if I can't get it from Britain, I'll get it from southern Europe.

"I'm stocking bits and pieces for people wanting to cook at home and eventually I want to do proper ready meals once I'm up and running."