Lakeside Village hosts Purple Tuesday 2025

Purple Tuesday - an annual day marked by the global disability community – has been celebrated at Lakeside Village Outlet Shopping this week.
 
A social movement, Purple Tuesday was launched in 2018 and works to improve the customer experience for disabled people and their families 365 days a year, with organisations who sign up to Purple Tuesday committing to improving accessibility and practices.
 
The outlet shopping centre hosted a number of initiatives on the day, including making its Sensory Cave free of charge for half-hour sessions throughout the day.
 
The centre also used the event to make a series of accessibility and inclusivity pledges for the year ahead, launching a Community Pledge Wall for members of the public to contribute.
 
Pledges for 2026 include the introduction of a new quiet hour on Tuesdays from 2pm – 3pm, improving site signage for toilets and Changing Places facilities at the centre, and signposting staff to free online courses on disability awareness, accessibility or neurodiversity.
 
Around 17 percent of the world’s population is disabled, with around 6,500 organisations around the globe taking part in Purple Tuesday each year.

Abby Chandler, deputy centre manager at Lakeside Village, said: “Purple Tuesday is an inspirational movement which we are proud to support. It encourages organisations across all sectors to increase awareness and offer practical improvements to accessibility to provide disabled customers with a richer experience.

“Our pledges for 2026 are testimony to our own commitment in this area at Lakeside Village and we look forward to enhancing the centre experience for people with disabilities even further, from customers to employees.”

Lakeside Village’s Sensory Cave (Controlled Audio Visual Environment) was unveiled in September, with the aim of reducing social isolation and helping people with hypersensitivity to loud noises, bright lights and overcrowding have some time out in a safe and secure environment.

To find out more about the Sensory Cave, visit: lakeside-village.co.uk/sensory-cave

For more info about the Purple Tuesday movement, visit: purpletuesday.co