Days Out NI
Shopping Centre Ballymena Town Centre

Tower Centre

Ballymena's covered town-centre mall — over 50 shops and a balcony food court, all under one roof off Wellington Street.

2 photos
Open 7 daysLate to 9pm Thu & Fri · Sun from 1pm
Free to browseCouncil car parks from 70p/hr
BallymenaTown centre · BT43 6AH
Official websiteGet directions
1–2 hoursHow long
All agesBest for
IndoorsRain-proof
FreeTo browse
Car parks near2-min walk

Over 50 shops, a balcony food court and a proper Changing Places toilet, all under one roof in the middle of town — the easy, dry Ballymena day when the weather turns.

  • What you'll do — work through 50-plus stores anchored by Dunnes, Poundland, B&M, Boots and Sports Direct, browse smaller local names and services, and stop for a coffee or a bite up on the first-floor balcony food court.
  • How long — a 1–2 hour pop-in for the shops and a coffee; longer if you're doing the town's other centres and the streets in the same trip.
  • Cost & parking — free to browse. The centre has no car park of its own — you use the council-run pay-and-display car parks nearby. The closest, Springwell Street multi-storey, is about a two-minute walk and runs from 70p for up to an hour in bands up to the day rate.
  • Come ready — mind the hours: it opens Sunday from 1pm only, and late nights run to 9pm on Thursday and Friday. Bring change or a card for the car park.
  • Food — an honest steer: this is a balcony food court and coffee stops (the likes of Costa), not a big restaurant line-up. Grand for a quick lunch or a catch-up over coffee rather than a sit-down dinner out.
  • Primark has left — it's now at Fairhill. After 40-odd years in the Tower Centre, Primark closed here in December 2025 and moved to the rival Fairhill Centre across town. If Primark is the whole reason for the trip, head to Fairhill instead.
  • Shops come and go — check before a special trip. The retail line-up changes, and Frasers Group (the centre's new owner since 2025) has said it's refreshing the mix. Ring 028 2564 8921 or check the website if you're travelling in for one particular shop.
Plan your visit

Just turn up — it's free, and it's open 7 days

No tickets, no booking — walk in off the street any day of the week. Centre hours are 9am–6pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am–9pm Thursday and Friday, 9am–6pm Saturday and 1pm–6pm Sunday — and individual stores set their own times within that. There's no car park attached to the centre; you park in one of the council's nearby car parks and walk in, the closest being the Springwell Street multi-storey a couple of minutes away. Hours shift on bank holidays and around Christmas, so check the centre's website before a special trip.

50+ shops under one roof Balcony food court & coffee Changing Places toilet (RADAR key) Shopmobility on site Cash machines & Post Office Council car parks a 2-min walk
Parking isn't at the centre:

The Tower Centre doesn't run its own car park — you use the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council pay-and-display car parks around it. The nearest, Springwell Street multi-storey, is roughly a two-minute walk. Blue Badge holders pay the normal charge there, so bring change or a card, and note council rates can change.

Before you set off

What to wear & bring

  • 👟Comfy shoesTwo floors and a lap of the town's other shops if you're combining the trip.
  • 🛍️Reusable bagsSaves on carriers and makes the haul easier back to the car park.
  • 💳Card and a little changeFor the shops, the coffee stop and the council car park machine.
  • 🔑Your RADAR keyIf you need the Changing Places toilet — it's on the RADAR key scheme.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free to browse — you only pay for what you buy and eat, plus the council car park if you drive in.
Opening
Mon–Wed 9am–6pm, Thu–Fri 9am–9pm, Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 1pm–6pm. Individual stores set their own times. Hours change on bank holidays and around Christmas — check the website first.
Parking
No car park at the centre itself. Council pay-and-display car parks sit within a 2–8 minute walk; the nearest is Springwell Street multi-storey (about 2 minutes). Rates there start around 70p for up to an hour and rise in bands — Blue Badge holders pay the normal charge. Confirm current council rates on the day.
Shops
Over 50 stores across two floors, anchored by Dunnes, Poundland, B&M, Boots and Sports Direct, alongside the likes of Superdrug, Holland & Barrett, Card Factory, Game, CeX and a range of local businesses and services. Note: Primark left in December 2025 for the Fairhill Centre.
Food & drink
A first-floor balcony food court and coffee shops (including Costa) — geared to a quick lunch or a coffee catch-up rather than a big sit-down meal.
For families
All indoors and pushchair-friendly, with a Changing Places toilet on the RADAR key scheme — a height-adjustable adult bench and hoist with room for up to two carers.
Accessibility
Level, indoor and step-friendly, with Shopmobility on site, a Changing Places facility and cash machines. The RADAR key scheme covers the accessible changing toilet.
Getting there
Tower Centre, 5A Wellington Street, Ballymena BT43 6AH — in the middle of the town, a short walk from the main streets and about 10 minutes on foot from Ballymena railway and bus station.
How long
1–2 hours for the shops and a coffee; longer if you're doing the town's other centres and streets in the same visit.
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Yes — free to walk in and browse, seven days a week. You only pay for what you buy and eat, plus the council car park if you drive.
Is Primark still in the Tower Centre?
No. Primark closed its Tower Centre store in December 2025 after more than 40 years and moved to the Fairhill Centre across town. If Primark is the reason for your trip, head to Fairhill instead.
Where do I park?
There's no car park at the centre itself — you use the council's pay-and-display car parks nearby. The closest, Springwell Street multi-storey, is about a two-minute walk and starts around 70p for up to an hour. Blue Badge holders pay the normal charge, so bring change or a card.
What time does it open on Sunday?
1pm — worth knowing before you set off. It runs to 6pm on a Sunday, and shops set their own times within the centre hours.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a first-floor balcony food court and coffee shops, including Costa. It's set up for a quick lunch or a coffee catch-up rather than a big sit-down meal out.
Is it good with a pram or a wheelchair?
Yes — it's all indoors and pushchair-friendly, with Shopmobility on site and a Changing Places toilet (height-adjustable bench and hoist) on the RADAR key scheme.
Getting there

Tower Centre, 5A Wellington Street, Ballymena BT43 6AH — right in the middle of town. Park in one of the council car parks nearby (Springwell Street multi-storey is the closest, about two minutes' walk), or it's roughly a 10-minute walk from Ballymena railway and bus station.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website

Check ahead: 028 2564 8921

See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

Ballymena town centreStreets, cafés & shops · on the doorstep ECOS Nature ParkLakes & walking trails · 5 min drive People's ParkGreen space & play · short walk Fairhill CentreBallymena's other mall · few mins' walk
The story

Ballymena's first indoor shopping centre

The Tower Centre was Ballymena's first proper indoor shopping centre, opening in the early 1980s to pull the town's retail in off the wind and rain and put it under one roof. It's woven right into the town-centre streets off Wellington Street rather than sitting on a ring road, so you tend to arrive on foot through the pedestrianised heart of Ballymena — the shopfronts opening straight onto the mall.

It grew over the years, with a two-storey extension adding ground-floor units and the first-floor balcony food court that's still where people go for a coffee and a catch-up. For decades Primark was the big draw; after more than 40 years it closed here in December 2025 and moved to the rival Fairhill Centre across town, which sharpened up the long-running friendly tug-of-war between Ballymena's two malls.

Change is very much in the air. In 2025 the centre was bought by Frasers Group — the UK retail firm behind Sports Direct and others — which has talked about refreshing the line-up and bringing in new brands. What that looks like day to day is still settling, so the shop list is worth a quick check before a special trip.

The reason it earns a place on a days-out map is simple and honest: when the forecast falls apart, this is a warm, dry, walk-everywhere hour in the middle of town — the shops, a coffee on the balcony, and the rest of Ballymena a step out the door. Pair it with ECOS Nature Park or People's Park when the sky clears.