Lewisham Shopping Centre will take steps over the next year to become a better experience for autistic shoppers.

The shopping centre has made the move to introduce weekly quiet hours, among other measures, after the National Autistic Society reported 28 per cent of 700,000 autistic people in the UK have been asked to leave a public space because of their behaviour.

Other measures to ease the shopping experience include downloadable maps of the shopping centre for people to familiarise themselves with the layout of the area before they visit.

Those in need of extra help will also be offered discreet disability lanyards so staff at the shopping centre can give them assistance where it is needed, and the staff at the shopping centre will be given specialist training on how to support disabled shoppers.

According to Landsec, which owns the shopping centre, autistic children visiting the shopping centre will be given sensory toy bags to play with while they visit.

The new services will be introduced throughout 2019, ready for Autism Awareness Week 2020.

Paul Redden, manager of Lewisham Shopping Centre, said: “We recognise that shopping trips can be stressful and difficult for people with autism and their carers.

"We’re confident that the measures we have announced today are a step in the right direction and will make Lewisham Shopping more welcoming for all of our guests.”

Throughout Autism Awareness week, which runs until Sunday, April 7, Lewisham Shopping Centre will hold a daily quiet hour from 11am-12pm.

During this time, the music in the centre will be switched off and lights will be dimmed.