scope:

The retail, food and drink offer at a railway station is a key part of the travel experience for many rail users. When viewed from a wider perspective, the commercial and social facilities at a station are often a valuable resource for non-travellers in the communities where they are located. 

The 'offer' at a station should be customer-led and capable of accommodating changing requirements over time in a sustainable manner. Being static and constrained by previous decisions limits opportunities, and hence the retail units are highly important to the long-term image and function of the station. 

This Design Manual therefore sits within this context, placing the design of retail units into the context of a rail system which is about to enter its next stage of development. It is intended for use across all 2,500 stations in Great Britain, ranging from large-scale station masterplan redevelopments through to the fit-out of independent, individual units at smaller stations. 

The consistent application of this Design Manual over a period of several years will enable, in an accumulative manner, a cohesive image and appearance of the retail provision at an individual station even when there is not the sweeping change of a larger masterplan project. It should also enable the creation of a cohesive customer environment across the rail network.