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Lewisham Shopping Centre understands that for some people with autism spectrum conditions, sensory or additional needs, a visit to a busy shopping centre can be a daunting experience. We work closely with the National Autistic Society and Purple to give all our guests the best possible customer experience. This guide will support you from the early stages of planning a visit to arriving to the centre. Information about facilities and services and what to do in an emergency are also included. We aim to ensure that you have a pleasant and fun visit in which you feel safe and supported. Throughout your visit there are friendly staff on hand should you require assistance.
Not all people with hidden disabilities need assistance. However, if you do, wearing a sunflower lanyard discreetly indicates to our staff that help may be needed. A sunflower lanyard encourages you to ask for extra support (although you don’t have to be wearing a lanyard to ask for this). It can also encourage you to tell other people about the type of assistance you need.
Lewisham Shopping Centre has a number of sensory backpacks available to hire free of charge from our Customer Information Point. These sensory backpacks are particularly aimed at those guests with autism and are packed full of items to assist children and adults and include:
We will be asking users of the sensory backpacks to return them after use to our Customer Information Point. If you'd like to find out more details in advance of your visit, or for further terms of use, please contact our Customer Information team on 02088520094 or by emailing lewisham@landsecurities.com.
We have a quiet hour Every Tuesday between Tuesday 9am - 10am. During this time the centre becomes a calmer place with music turned off, radios turned down, and stores are requested to either turn their music off or have it at a low level.
Guests can also access free sensory packs from the Lewisham team, containing a range of sensory toys, a hidden disability lanyard, and autism guides. Autism guides provide information on the above initiatives, ways to travel to the centre, and where to find facilities such as toilets on-site.
Our Changing Places Toilet has been specially made for guests who cannot use standard accessible toilets. This space is available for guests who may be limited in their own mobility, so need equipment to help them . Our Changing Places Toilet can be found in the North Mall next to the lifts near Costa.
Public toilets, including toilets for customers with disabilities and a parent and baby room, are located just outside the West Walk entrance. Lewisham has taken guidance from Colostomy UK to provide stoma-friendly toilet facilities. All of our accessible toilets have been updated to include the correct Stoma Facilities. These can be found at the West side entrance. Each toilet now includes wall hooks, a colostomy bag shelf, a wall mirror and the correct disposal facilities.
Every member of the Lewisham Team have been trained in Autism and are on hand should things go wrong during your visit. Please reach out to one of our members of staff and they will happily help and support you. They will be dressed in one of the uniforms below and will be wearing a name badge.
We are committed to listening to your feedback on our autism services. This provides us with an opportunity to improve all what we do. Please contact us with general feedback, comments or a compliment.
