The Mall Blackburn is extending its quiet hour to help shoppers who find loud noises and bright lights overwhelming.

Following its successful weekly quiet hour for shoppers, The Mall Blackburn is extending it to run six days a week.

Starting on Tuesday, August 30, from 9am to 10am, there will be a subdued period that is designed to make the shopping experience less daunting for those who can find loud noises and bright lights overwhelming.

The Mall is introducing helpful sensory packs that can be collected and returned to its Ask Me Point. They include ear defenders, fidget toys, colouring pages and crayons.

There will also be dimmed lighting, no music playing, no PA announcements, as few tannoy announcements as possible and none of the children’s rides will be switched on.

Loraine Jones, general manager at The Mall Blackburn, said: “We know shopping trips can be an overwhelming experience for some people and we hope that the introduction of our sensory packs, which contain a range of items designed to further lessen anxiety, will also help.

“Having designated periods of consistent quiet and dimming bright lights, which can be distracting and distressing, help to make public spaces more welcoming and inclusive.”

Posters at the entrances to The Mall will inform shoppers that it is quiet hour and it will also be advertised on The Mall’s social media channels, encouraging everyone to be mindful of the intention to create a quiet and calm environment.

The Entertainer, Next, Claire’s, H&M, The Body Shop, Shoezone, The Card Factory, H.Samuel, Millies Cookies, 6G and Blue Inc will be switching off their music and lowering the lights and a further 12 will be making their stores quieter.

Loraine continued: “The Entertainer toy shop already has a quiet hour from Monday to Saturday, and more than 20 other retailers joined us in May to support us and this will continue six days a week.

“We hope our quiet hour will make a really helpful difference to people.”