Starting Oct. 1, children under 18 must be accompanied by parents or legal guardians over the age of 21 starting at 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and beginning at 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Children under 18 visiting the Willow Grove Park mall must have a parent or legal guardian accompanying them during certain hours starting Tuesday.
The shopping center released a Parental Supervision Policy, stating that the new rules are to provide a "secure and family-friendly" environment. Minors must be supervised after 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and after 3 p.m. on Sundays.
The new policy is in response to concerns from shoppers and local authorities about unsupervised minors gathering in large groups in the mall.
Security personnel will enforce the policy and monitor those who enter the mall at entrances. The restrictions also apply to the mall's parking lots and garages.
Unescorted minors who are in the mall after hours must leave the center or be joined by a parent or guardian. Parents and guardians must be 21 or older and can escort up to four children, but at least one of them must be their own child.
If the ages of children or their parents/guardians cannot easily be determined, security personnel will ask for photo identification showing a date of birth. Those who lack IDs will be asked to leave, and individuals who refuse to leave may be prosecuted for trespassing.
The mall will work with store managers to ensure that employees under 18 will not be affected by the policy. Store managers will be responsible for making sure that young workers will have approved access during their shifts.
"Willow Grove Park is committed to maintaining a secure, welcoming, and family-friendly environment for all of our guests," said Romaine Crawford, general manager of Willow Grove Park. "This policy not only ensures that our guests can enjoy their shopping experience, but also fosters a secure environment for mall employees and visitors."
Similarly, the Fashion District shopping center in Center City has a policy barring visitors under 18 from entering without a parent or guardian over the age of 23 after 2 p.m.