Palmer Centre - Chepstow

The Palmer Community Centre underwent a significant refurbishment in April 2019, massively changing the aesthetic of the building interior, making it more appealing for a wide range of people within the community. 

This was carried out following a council grant to improve the Palmer Centre. While work has been carried out in the main hall, the majority of the upgrade has been done in the Palmer Café, which is the first dementia-friendly café in Chepstow.

While not exclusively for those with dementia, the Café has been designed with those in mind, using a neutral colour scheme, acoustic baffles to prevent noise from echoing, and a connected, low glare lighting system to create an optimised environment, preventing discomfort.

Dementia Friendly Café

There are a number of specialised requirements to ensure that those living with dementia are comfortable when out in public spaces. This includes clear and obvious signage, removing reflective surfaces to avoid confusion and an avoidance of dark spots and shadowing.

The Alzheimer’s Society suggests that those with dementia may avoid darker areas of the room, may mistake shadows for changes in height, taking high steps around the room which can be risky, and may take longer adapting to changes in light levels (Alzheimer’s Society - Sight, perception and hallucinations in dementia, 2016).

Tamlite specified low-glare modules with a high-performance optic, designed to reduce shadowing. The Tamlite lighting scheme utilises a DALI-operated wall control panel, allowing the lighting style to be changed instantly, switching between scenes. The colour temperature and light intensity can be customised to meet customer needs, making it ideal for everyone.

Emergency lighting is vital throughout the building. Emergency lighting only comes on in an emergency or with a loss of mains power, providing sufficient illumination for visitors to exit the building quickly and safely. Exit boxes and exit signs were supplied for the Café, providing a clear escape route for visitors.

In the main hall, which can be hired out for specific events, Tamlite installed a range of emergency luminaires, designed to provide sufficient illumination throughout the space for people to exit safely. For more information on our lighting solutions, contact our team.

What we used