A CITY centre business has been slammed by a Worcester-based dementia charity for its lack of "dementia-friendly signage".
John Allen, of the Worcester Dementia Action Alliance, said the charity has been "in conversation" with WHSmith regarding signs for its lift.
Mr Allen claims that the conversation was sparked after a customer with dementia could not find the lift on a visit to the High Street shop.
He said: "In February 2022, a conversation about inadequate signage was started between Dementia Action Alliance and WHSmith.
"Here we are a year on, and their Worcester shop signage remains inadequate. Over a year ago someone with dementia could not find the lift as they wanted to go to the first floor.
"Their signage was inadequate. WHSmith boasted that they were committed to customer needs, but they were not.
"Over a year on the signage is still inadequate. We, at the Worcester DAA, hope WHSmith will live up to their boast and improve their signage soon."
READ MORE: WHSmith reveals it has been the target of a cyber attack
Mr Allen said he is calling for the signs to be made "clearer" to help navigate around the shop.
He said: "I would like WHSmith to make their signage clearer, so that a person is able to find their way to the elevators easily.
"The signage should be universal to all WH Smith shops. There is existing knowledge of how to design such signs and they should use that, such as the signs available from the Alzheimer’s Society."
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, dementia-friendly signage can help orientate a person living with dementia and allow them to maintain their independence.
These signs can consist of text, images, or a combination of both, and any text should ideally contrast with the background to be easy to read.
READ MORE: Census data shows less people 90 and over are disabled in Worcester
A spokesperson for WHSmith said the business is "committed" to making the store safe and welcoming "for all customers".
Want to stay up to date with all the latest news for your local area? It's easy, just sign up for our email newsletters here and all the important stories that matter to you will be delivered straight to your inbox.
They said: "We are sorry to hear that Worcester Dementia Action Alliance have raised concerns about the customer signage in our Worcester store.
"WHSmith is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all our customers to shop in.
"We are in the process of arranging for additional navigational signage in store for the customer lift as soon as possible."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel