The opening date of a new “Ibiza” inspired food hall has had to be pushed back.

Bosses had planned to open Forest Row in Worthing’s former Beales store on the side facing into the Montague Centre this month.

But they have now revised the expected opening date to late September.

A spokesman from the company said transforming the site was taking longer than anticipated.

“We are pleased to announce our aimed opening week will be the last week in September,” they said.

“Converting the old department store to be able to work as kitchens for our vendors as well as having plenty of seating and toilets is taking a little longer than we planned but we hope you will all love what we are creating, a truly unique eating and drinking space for the town.”

Seven establishments will launch in the food hall including Brighton’s Block Bar with a New York-style deli sandwich concept with slow-cooked meats, Worthing-based Spanish restaurant Rincon De Pepe with a new tapas street food offering, Caribbean and Spanish restaurant El Caribeno, Italian restaurant Rimbomba and The Beef Guy with its new gourmet hot dog brand.

There could also be a Turkish street food offering.

In July, plans were announced for new members' club The Stable Yard on the other side of the building, which faces on to South Street.

The club, which is expected to open in December, will include a gym-spa, business hotel with meeting rooms, cocktail bar, Japanese restaurant and “Insta-worthy” rooftop terrace.

Accommodation at the club’s business hotel will offer rooms, suites and studios, while state-of-the-art meeting rooms will be available to members with each designed to accommodate a variety of business events, conferences and seminars.

Reading and library rooms will provide quiet spaces for members to enjoy.

The building has remained empty since Beales collapsed into administration in January 2020 after it was unable to secure a last-minute buyer.