CR News and Case Studies

Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour at West Orchards Shopping Mall, Coventry

Released by PruPIM on 09 Aug 2005

West Orchards Shopping Centre is giving customers the opportunity to report any anti-social activity to security staff by sending them a text message.

The idea was developed by three girls at Ernesford Grange School in the city.

The owner of West Orchards, Prudential, is now monitoring the "Txt Zone" scheme, with a view to introducing it at its 20 other shopping centres.

"Anybody - young or old - who has access to a mobile phone can report a problem via text"
Andy Talbot
Shopping centre manager

Andy Talbot, manager of West Orchards, said shoppers could alert security officers by sending them a text.

"The centre is to be split into zones which will be labelled and numbered with signs to enable text users to clearly indicate where the problem is.

"The message will arrive about 30 seconds later in our security control room and the controller will then decide who should be despatched.

"If it is littering it would be a cleaner, if it is somebody spitting it could be a security officer and cleaner and if it is something more serious the duty officer would attend.

"Anybody - young or old - who has access to a mobile phone can report a problem via text."

The idea was developed by students Sophie Wilkinson, Laura McCarthy and Jade Protheroe.

As well as the West Orchards complex in Smithford Way, Prudential owns, among others, the Manchester Arndale and Cribbs Causeway Shopping Centre in Bristol.

For more info/photos:

Siobhán Hewitt-Devine, Assistant: Corporate Responsibility, PruPIM – 020 7548 6729

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