Background
Airedale Shopping Centre is located in the heart of Keighley, West Yorkshire, boasting a wide range of high street brands and local independent shops, along with a mix of coffee shops and a Dementia Friendly drop in centre on Brunswick Arcade. Many of the country’s top high street brands line its light and airy undercover ‘streets’, and the centre also has a 425-space multi-storey car park and cafe.
The Challenge
Originally, the shopping centre had aluminium matting installed in a matwell in the busy entrance, however the profile caused a strobing affect from the aluminium reflection and was prone to bending. Over time this could have potentially caused a trip hazard to customers so for health and safety reasons the recommendation was to replace the entrance matting. However the challenge for the shopping centre was finding a way to replace the matting and fix the problem, whilst causing minimum disruption to their customers.
The Solution
Syncros, the entrance matting experts, identified the key issues and were able to offer a specific solution. It was agreed to only replace the centre section, which limited the inconvenience to the shopping centre and their customers, and suited their budget requirements.
"We knew that customer safety was critical to Airedale, particularly elderly shoppers who may be vulnerable to trips and falls. After a comprehensive consultation, we suggested the Forma HD in a distinctive colour, to assist visually impaired customers. Dementia sufferers can also find a single block of colour indistinguishable from a hole in the floor, which is why we recommended the chequer board design, as less intimidating to those customers."
John Morgan
Managing Director, Syncros
The Benefits
We knew that customer safety was critical to Airedale, particularly elderly shoppers who may be vulnerable to trips and falls. After a comprehensive consultation, we suggested the Forma HD in a distinctive colour, to assist visually impaired customers. Dementia sufferers can also find a single block of colour indistinguishable from a hole in the floor, which is why we recommended the chequer board design, as less intimidating to those customers.
The Impact
Manufactured in modular tiles, Forma HD can fit any size or shape of matwell with the minimum of waste and disruption. Damaged sections can be replaced by changing only the individual tiles and not the complete unit as with other systems. The product is exceptionally durable and designed for high traffic areas and in the various colours available is excellent at concealing and retaining dirt and moisture whilst complimenting the interior design. The product has excellent wash and light fastness properties allowing all conventional carpet maintenance systems to be used for cleaning and has a 5-year guarantee.
"We are really impressed with the new matting. The project was well-planned, delivered on-time to a high standard, and was hassle free from start to finish. I would recommend using Syncros again for any future projects."
Steve Seymour
Centre Manager, Airedale Shopping Centre
