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26th April 2016
10:51am BST

"I’ve been speaking with colleagues and customers about how we can help shoppers with autism or disabilities. I suffered for many years with anxiety and I used to absolutely hate going into busy stores. If we can make a few small changes to give these customers a better shopping experience and make them comfortable then I know the store will be a better place to shop for everyone."The quiet hour plan has been widely praised: https://twitter.com/MENnewsdesk/status/724184028807618560 https://twitter.com/richardmills18/status/723977829487128576 https://twitter.com/articulatum/status/724824905993338881 To get a sense of what it's like for people with autism to experience places like big shopping centres, the National Autistic Society released these videos capturing the sensory overload from an autistic boy's perspective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=55&v=Lr4_dOorquQ The move follows a number of outlets offering more inclusive experiences for autistic and disabled customers. Recently a number of cinema chains also have looked to have "autism friendly screenings", where lights are left on low, outside food is allowed, and a chill-out zone is offered as people are allowed to move about. What do you think of the ‘quiet hour’ idea? Send in your thoughts to hello@JOE.co.uk, or drop us a message on Facebook.
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