Does your favourite shop or football team have a sensory space or quiet hour? Discover which high street shops, supermarkets and popular sports teams have made inclusive changes to support neurodiverse people. And learn what you can expect when you visit.
What is sensory inclusiveness?
It’s about creating a welcoming environment, where neurodiverse people feel like they belong.
Why sensory inclusiveness matters
Lots of public spaces are not designed for the sensory needs of neurodiverse people, which includes people with autism. Lights, sound and clutter can all make some people feel overwhelmed, possibly leading them to shutdown.
This means neurodiverse people may not be able to comfortably visit places others enjoy, like their favourite shop or sports stadium. Naturally, this can leave them feeling left out.
That’s why it’s important that companies with public spaces make a real effort to create inclusive sensory spaces, quiet hours, and more.
Retailers making a difference
Some retailers are going out of their way to stay inclusive, like designating spaces for customers to take a sensory break.
They’re also limiting loud noises, making scent-free zones, adding light or sound controls, and simplifying the layout of their stores.
Here are the retailers who have made inclusive changes:
Build-A-Bear Workshop
What sensory inclusiveness looks like for them
They run a session called Sensory-Friendly Time, during the first hour of the day every Tuesday. This is for children of all ages with autism and other special needs, and it’s at all their stores.
How it benefits neurodiverse people
It offers a less-stimulating workshop experience that’s still lots of fun. Their staff, called ‘Bear Builders’, are on hand to make sure every child has a comfortable experience.
That means dim lighting, little-or-no music, and a step-by-step guide that lets you plan your visit.
Currys
Currys have a quiet hour for the first hour of the day, until 11am. It’s their way to craft a more inclusive shopping experience for neurodiverse customers.
How it benefits neurodiverse people
We all know what it’s like to walk into an electronics store and see countless bright screens. Currys make sure none of these are flashing when you visit during their quiet hour. They also turn down in-store noise and keep the lights low, to create an all-round calmer place to shop.
They’re part of the Hidden Disability Network, who give shoppers Sunflower lanyards. These are a discreet way to let others know you might need some extra help.
Supermarkets making a difference
Some supermarkets have made inclusive, sensory changes, like quiet hours. This has helped neurodiverse people find quiet places to shop during the holidays, and more.
Lidl and Waitrose do not offer quiet hours. Sainsbury’s and Aldi have trialled these in the past, but do not have any right now.
Sensory Street are a company who encourage supermarkets to make their spaces more inclusive. They published this guide about sensory-inclusiveness, to help them.
Here are the supermarkets who have made inclusive changes:
Asda
What sensory inclusiveness looks like for them
Asda run a quiet hour in the afternoon, between 2pm and 3pm, from Monday to Thursday. They also updated their ASDA Store Locator, so it has better accessibility information.
How it benefits neurodiverse people
They lower the noise levels during their quiet hour, to create a calmer shopping experience. Like Currys, they’re also part of the Hidden Disability Network.
Morrisons
What sensory inclusiveness looks like for them
Morrisons has a quiet hour in all its stores on Saturdays, from 9am to 10am, so you can get your weekend shopping done early.
In 2024, they extended their quiet hours to include 2pm to 3pm, from Monday to Thursday. And the first hour of opening on Sundays. That’s a lot of extra choice throughout the week.
How it benefits neurodiverse people
Staff do not make any announcements, and they move the trolleys and baskets less. They turn off all music and turn down electric noises like checkout beeps. They also put a poster outside, so everyone knows it’s ‘Quieter hour’.
Tesco
What sensory inclusiveness looks like for them
Tesco have a quiet hour between 9am and 10am on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
How it benefits neurodiverse people
They dim the lights and lower the checkout noises to give shoppers a calmer environment. It’s also good for elderly customers, parents with young children, and people struggling with mental health.
They also installed hybrid self-checkout tills in 25 of their stores. These all work as both a staff checkout and self-checkout till, and they have a one-to-one hearing loop.
Sports clubs making a difference
Your favourite sports club might have an inclusive space too. Lots of clubs, across different sports, have created sensory rooms.
What is a sensory room?
It’s a room for kids or adults who find the adrenaline rush of a sports match too much. They can still watch the game, hear the chants, and enjoy the thrills, in a calming environment.
Here are the sports clubs who have made inclusive changes:
Football clubs
Which clubs and stadiums have a sensory room?
- Arsenal has a room with bean bags at its Emirates Stadium, with high-up seating and soundproof glass
- Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge has some of the most accessible facilities, of any stadium. It has a bubble tube, an infinity tunnel with sensitive colours, and an interactive wall
- Aston Villa transformed two hospitality spaces at Villa Park to make room for two well-equipped sensory rooms
- Coventry City’s sensory room at the Coventry Building Society Arena is split into two areas with a viewing room where people can sit and watch the action and, if they are feeling overwhelmed, there is an adjacent space with calming sensory equipment
- West Bromwich Albion’s room at The Hawthorns has actual stadium seating, and interactive lights, colours, soft play, and speakers with live crowd noise
- Watford has a state-of-the-art room at Vicarage Road with bright yellow bean bags and a viewing platform
- Rangers’ Ibrox Stadium boasts a sensory room called ‘Broxi’s Den’. It can hold up to eight children and it’s won an autism-friendly award
- Middlesbrough stream their Riverside Stadium matches on a big screen. And their staff are trained to work with children with learning difficulties
- Sunderland created a room at their Stadium of Light, and it became so popular they opened another one. Both rooms have a communication board
Rugby clubs
Which clubs and stadiums have a sensory room?
- Scottish Rugby recently opened a state-of-the-art sensory room at their Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium. It’s called the ‘Wooden Spoon Sensory Space’
- The Irish Rugby Union launched portable sensory boxes across Ireland in 2024. These have headphones, fidget tools, visual aids, and calming items
- Bristol Bears has a ‘Sensory Safe Space’ at their Ashton Gate Stadium. It gives fans a room away from the main action before, during and after the game
- Hull FC has a glass-front, pitch-facing sensory room at their MKM Stadium. It lets fans watch the match in a safe, secure environment
- The Allianz Stadium (formerly known as Twickenham) opened a sensory room in 2024. It’s also open to children in the local community, outside of matchdays
What do the sensory spaces look like?
Spectra, who advocate for neurodiverse inclusion, say that businesses can make spaces more inclusive by doing the following:
- Set up soothing sounds, colours, sights, and textures. These give people a calm setting, away from anything loud and daunting
- Clear the clutter. Mess can be distracting and stressful. Anything out of place can be unsettling
- Reduce reflections. A carpet is better than other types of floors as it lowers the chance of reflections. Curtains are great, as they stop any direct sunlight or glare
- Create a pacing path. Everyone appreciates somewhere to pace up and down, to self-ease or take a moment
- Have some fidget toys. Baskets with soft blankets and fidget toys can be a nice extra touch
Autistica and Sensory Friendly Solutions are two other great companies who help companies make their public spaces more inclusive.
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Image Credits
Currys: Getty Images / Alan Morris
Tesco: Getty Images / Alan Morris
Coventry Building Society Arena: Getty Images / Rob Atherton
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