Shopping centre to become vape-free

A shopping centre will become a vape-free environment in order to create a cleaner and healthier place to visit and work, the site's director has announced.

From 1 February 2026 vaping will no longer be permitted anywhere in Luton Point, including malls, entrances, stairwells and car parks.

It forms part of Luton Point's new campaign, Escape the Vape, which aimed to create a more welcoming and pleasant atmosphere throughout the centre.

Roy Greening, director for Luton Point, which originally opened as the Arndale Centre, said it was "about putting people first... particularly families and young people".

Visitors who wish to vape will need to do so outside the centre and away from entrances.

Clear signage will be installed across the site and the centre's team will provide friendly reminders to help ensure a smooth transition.

Luton Point said it wanted to provide a more comfortable environment for families while supporting healthier habits and improving the overall visitor experience.

It said the space becoming vape-free would help reduce exposure to vapour, particularly for younger visitors.

It would also discourage the normalisation of vaping in shared spaces and cut down on waste from vape products.

Luton Point said it was proud to join a growing number of public spaces taking positive action to reduce vaping in shared environments.

Greening said Luton Point's Escape the Vape campaign was a "positive step for the community and part of our wider commitment to making Luton Point a welcoming place to spend time".

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