Glasgow's St Enoch Centre is to reintroduce regular quiet times and trigger maps to help autistic people as part of Autistic Awareness Month.
From Monday April 1, the centre will have 'Quiet Times' between 9am and 10.30am Monday to Wednesday, and 10am until 11.30am on Sundays.
During these times, there will be no mall music and a number of retailers will also join in by turning off their in-store music so as to create a more autism-friendly environment.
St. Enoch Centre staff will also partake in a refresher training course to ensure they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to best support autistic people visiting the store.
The centre partnered with Scottish Autism in 2018 and has since worked with the charity on several initiatives, including working to be the first shopping centre with a curated experience for those with autism.
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The two will also be collaborating to create an updated 'Sensory Trigger Map' for the website, which helps to prepare autistic individuals and their families for a visit to the shopping centre, highlighting sensory triggers such as smells, noise and changes in temperature throughout the building.
Anne Ledgerwood, Centre Director, said “We aim to support our customers as much as possible, and for everyone to feel welcome when they enter St. Enoch Centre.
"We are pleased to be working with Scottish Autism to implement changes that will improve the shopping experience for people with autism. As a team, we are proud to be taking steps to create a more inclusive space for all.”
“Over the years, St. Enoch has been working hard to meet the needs of autistic shoppers and visitors, those with learning disabilities and sensory conditions, in order to provide a welcoming environment for all shoppers in the city and we’re delighted to be able to reintroduce regular Quiet Times following the redevelopment.”
Charlene Tait, Deputy CEO of Scottish Autism, has said, "We welcome the reintroduction of Quiet Times at the St. Enoch Centre to make it a more inclusive environment for autistic people and their families.
"This initiative will enable more autistic people to enjoy the St. Enoch Centre in a way many members of the public take for granted, and will help to promote greater public understanding of the barriers faced by autistic people on a daily basis.
"We are delighted to work alongside the St. Enoch Centre to promote this initiative and on a Sensory Trigger Map specifically designed to support autistic people visiting the Centre."
