Ballymena's main shopping is centred on the Fairhill Shopping Centre and the Tower Centre, both of which have their own car parks close to the pedestrianised Ballymoney Street and Wellington Street. The Tower Centre multi-storey is the most central option for the town's shops and the Braid arts and visitor centre, while Fairhill's surface parking is handy for its larger stores. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council also runs several pay-and-display car parks around the centre, including spaces off Greenvale Street, Galgorm Street and near the Showgrounds, so you can usually find a space within a short walk of the high street.
If you want to avoid charges, council pay-and-display car parks are typically free outside the charging hours and on Sundays, and many on-street bays around the edges of the town are uncontrolled. Larger retail sites such as the Tower Centre and the out-of-town stores at Larne Link Road and the Galgorm/Woodside areas offer free customer parking. ParkEasy pulls together these options so you can see what's nearest, what it costs and where locals actually find space on busy market and weekend days.
Find live parking in Ballymena →Yes. Most council pay-and-display car parks are free on Sundays and outside the daytime charging hours (typically after about 6pm). Retail car parks like the Tower Centre and Fairhill offer free customer parking, and some on-street bays on the edges of the centre are uncontrolled. Always check the signs at your chosen car park, as charging times can vary.
Sundays and evenings are the easiest times to park in Ballymena. Council pay-and-display car parks generally do not charge on Sundays, and on-street restrictions ease in the evening. The Tower Centre multi-storey and Fairhill car park are convenient when their stores are open, and you'll find plenty of space near The Braid and around Greenvale Street outside business hours.
Avoid the pedestrianised Ballymoney Street and Wellington Street shopping areas, which are for foot traffic only. Be careful with short-stay limited-waiting bays on the main streets, as enforcement is active during the day. On Saturdays and market days the most central car parks fill quickly, so it's worth heading to Fairhill or the larger council car parks slightly further out and walking in.