- Partnership with Xscape Milton Keynes comes as British Retail Consortium research reveals retail workers face more than 1,600 incidents of abuse and violence every day
- Free training helps retail staff build resilience, de-escalate difficult situations and recover from challenging interactions
Xscape Milton Keynes has announced a new partnership with the Retail Trust to help support and protect retail workers facing rising levels of abuse and violence, providing free resources and training to help colleagues manage difficult interactions.
The announcement follows Landsec, owner and operator of Xscape, expanding its partnership with the Retail Trust after a successful pilot programme in 2025.
As part of the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign, Landsec provided free resilience and de-escalation training at four of its major shopping destinations, helping retail workers develop the skills and confidence to manage challenging situations and recover after difficult experiences on the shop floor.
This month, the support will be extended to a further 13 Landsec destinations across the UK*, including Xscape Milton Keynes. This will give retail staff, cleaners, security and guest services teams from Glasgow to Milton Keynes access to practical support. Teams at the four original pilot locations will also continue to receive training and resources.
Everyone working at a Landsec shopping destination will also have access to new online tools from the Retail Trust through the Landsec Protect app. These resources are designed to help staff stay safe, respond to difficult situations and recover afterwards, with advice covering issues including antisocial behaviour, being filmed without consent and being targeted after a shift.
The partnership is being expanded following the British Retail Consortium’s 2026 Crime Report, which reveals that retail workers face more than 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse every day, including 43,000 physically violent incidents each year. The newly introduced Crime and Policing Act has also made the assault of a retail worker a standalone criminal offence in England and Wales, further highlighting the importance of tackling the issue.
Throughout the remainder of 2026, Let’s Respect Retail campaign materials will be visible to guests at Xscape and across Landsec’s other centres, reminding millions of visitors that every act of kindness can make a difference.
A security guard who took part in the training earlier this year said: “When you’re dealing with antisocial behaviour or difficult customers, it can stay with you even after your shift has finished and you can feel anxious about coming back into work the next day.
“The training was really useful because it showed that people across different roles are dealing with many of the same challenges, and that there is support available from the Retail Trust. The coping techniques were practical and there was something in there that could work for everyone.
“This is going to become even more important coming up to Christmas, when there are going to be more shoppers, more pressure and more temporary staff who may not have dealt with these situations before. Support like this gives people more confidence to know how to respond and how to look after themselves afterwards.”
Dan Murphy, Centre Director at Xscape Milton Keynes, said: “Every day, our colleagues play an essential role in bringing Xscape to life. It’s important that they feel supported, valued, and confident that their wellbeing and safety are a priority.
“Working with the Retail Trust and the Let’s Respect Retail campaign gives our teams access to meaningful, practical support while also helping us build a culture where looking out for one another is part of everyday life. By investing in the people who make our centre what it is, we can create a positive environment for our teams, our brand partners, and our guests alike.”
Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive of the Retail Trust, added: “The people who’ve taken part in our training tell us that thoughtless, unkind and aggressive behaviour can stay with them long after their shift has ended and that they increasingly worry about situations like filming by shoppers or being targeted outside of work. We’re working with Landsec to give thousands of staff working at its shopping and leisure destinations more support while reminding millions of shoppers to treat everyone with respect.
“We all have a role to play in creating more respectful and kind shopping environments and our charity’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign will remind us that even something as a greeting or a smile can make a huge difference to people who are facing daily hostility at work.”
