Alongside, quiet shopping mornings we have introduced the Sunflower Lanyard scheme, a recognised symbol for hidden disabilities, which will allow customers to discreetly indicate to the outlet’s staff and retailers if extra assistance is required. The lanyards will also be available free of charge at Guest Services for shoppers that require them or have forgotten their own.
To further improve the visitor experience, Dalton Park Outlet will be providing a 360-degree visual guide of the centre from 2025. Developed in collaboration with Everybody Welcome, an initiative provided by Visit County Durham, this virtual guide will be accessible on our website, enabling visitors to familiarise themselves with the outlet before their visit and navigate their time at Dalton Park with confidence.
Richard Kaye, Centre Manager at Dalton Park Outlet, said: “We are committed to making Dalton Park Outlet a truly inclusive destination, and these new initiatives are just the beginning of our journey.
“By offering Sensory Bags for children and introducing the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme, we are ensuring that our visitors feel supported and cared for. The addition of the 360-degree virtual scan further demonstrates our dedication to providing a stress free shopping experience for everyone.”
To celebrate this landmark achievement, we invited North East Autism Society supporter Lyndsey and her son Ralph down to Dalton Park Outlet to explore the centre with our sensory bag. Lyndsey gave us her thoughts on visiting Dalton Park and their shopping experiences in general:
What has your experience been, shopping in places that are perhaps less accessible?
“Bit of a nightmare really, quite crazy, very, very overstimulating, very loud. He normally has a meltdown, throws himself on the floor and it’s just chaos, we normally have to leave.”
What makes Dalton Park a good place to visit for your family?
“We come to Dalton Park a lot, it really works for him, so we come here quite a lot. He loves the layout, because it’s just one long straight strip of shops, he really enjoys the play area, and the accessible bag we’ve just been given – he’s loved that because that’s got all the sensory toys in. He likes McDonalds, everyone’s just really, really friendly in all the shops, you never feel like you’re being judged, and also it’s quite quiet if you come on a morning, so we come first thing before it gets too busy, so he enjoys that as well.”
Why is it important to you as a family that places like Dalton Park introduce these initiatives?
“So important, because we like to take him out so that he gets used to being out. If we keep him at home all the time he’s never going to learn to be amongst people and to get on in different environments, so for somewhere to make an effort to make it accessible and easy for him, it’s just super, super helpful, because it makes our lives easier. We’re not worried about him having a meltdown, we’re not worried about people staring at us and not understanding. If it’s comfortable for us, then our anxieties lower and he reacts to that well.”
Visitors can also benefit from a colour coded, downloadable shop finder and a dedicated accessibility page. For more information on these initiatives visit here.
