The Capitol Centre is a large retail and leisure park in Walton-le-Dale, just south of Preston city centre.
With a great selection of shops, a supermarket, a cinema, restaurants, and a gym, it’s a hub of activity where people shop, dine, relax, and have fun.
Shops
The Capitol Centre Retail Parks boasts a diverse range of shopping options. Stores here at the time of writing (July 2023) include:
- Boots – Pharmacy and health & beauty retailer offering medicines, toiletries, makeup, and more.
- Currys – Major retailer for home electronics, appliances, computers, and smart home technology.
- Flooring Superstore – The Flooring Superstore offers many flooring options, from carpets and vinyl to wood and laminate.
- Furniture Village – Offers a wide range of furniture for every room in the house.
- Home Bargains – Discount store for homewares, household essentials, grocery items, and more.
- Homesense – Part of the TK Maxx family, Homesense offers a large selection of unique items for the home, including furniture, rugs, kitchenware, and accessories.
- Majestic Wines – The UK’s largest specialist wine retailer offers a good choice of wines, beers, and spirits.
- Next – Casual clothing for men, women, and children.
- Pets at Home – Pet owners can find all their pet needs at Pets at Home, from pet food and toys to grooming products and accessories.
- Tapi Carpets – Retailer specialising in carpets, vinyl, and wood flooring.
- TK Maxx – Designer brands at discounted prices,
- Waitrose – Supermarket is known for its quality products and commitment to sustainable sourcing.
There’s a Dunelm store behind the retail park. Strictly speaking, it is not part of the Capitol Centre.
Entertainment, Places to Eat, and Leisure
Beyond shopping, the Capitol Centre complex offers many leisure and dining options. The Vue Cinema Preston, a 7-screen multiplex cinema, is perfect for movie lovers. With comfortable seating and state-of-the-art projection systems, this cinema is a great place to watch the latest movies.
The complex also offers several places to eat and drink. Bella Maria, an Italian restaurant, offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for a family meal or a romantic dinner. Other dining options include McDonald’s, Dunkin’, Starbucks, and the cafe in Dunelm.
The Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Gym offers group exercise classes, a swimming pool, a spa pool, a sauna, and a steam room. The fitness centre provides the latest equipment and personalised exercise programmes from trained staff.
Opening Times
Opening times vary by store, but all are open seven days a week.
History of the Capitol Centre
Over the years, the Capitol Centre has seen several changes.
The Waitrose supermarket opened at the start of 2012. A Tenpin bowling centre previously occupied the site.
Other stores and businesses once part of the retail park include Prezzo (now Bella Maria), Frankie & Benny’s (now Majestic Wine), Maplin, Fabb Sofas, Comet, Tesco Homeplus, and Gap.
In December 2014, the owners of the Capitol Centre applied for permission to demolish the Vue Cinema. The cinema was due to move to the Fishergate Shopping Centre in Preston city centre. The plan was abandoned in 2016 after Preston City Council turned down plans for the redevelopment of Fishergate.
Location and Getting There
The Capitol Centre is on London Way (A6) in Walton-le-Dale (postcode PR5 4AW). It is just southeast of Preston city centre and around 2 miles from Junction 29 of the M6 motorway and Junction 1 of the M65 motorway.
The park has over 1,400 car parking spaces. Customers enjoy free parking. Check parking notices for rules and any time restrictions.
Several buses stop near the pedestrian entrance on Victoria Road / London Road (A6). Bus services include the 109 bus between Preston and Chorley and the 125 bus from Preston to Bolton.
There is no train station within easy walking distance. The closest is Preston, approximately 2 miles away.
Other Retail Parks and Shopping Centres in Preston
In addition to the Capitol Centre, Preston offers several other retail destinations. They include:
- Fishergate Shopping Centre – In Preston city centre, Fishergate contains over 40 stores from top high street brands and independent retailers. Shoppers can also dine at the centre’s cafes.
- St George’s Shopping Centre – This indoor shopping centre sits in the heart of Preston city centre with stores like New Look, H&M, and River Island.
- Deepdale Shopping Park – Found north of the city centre, this large retail park is home to stores like Sofology, M&S, JD, Go Outdoors, and Hobbycraft.
- Fulwood Central – Situated in the Fulwood area of the city, this small retail park is home to stores such as Aldi and B&M.
- Churchill Way Retail Park – Stores at this Leyland retail park include Lidl and B&M.
