Days Out NI
Shopping Centre South Belfast

Forestside Shopping Centre

Around 40 shops, cafés and dining under one roof, anchored by Sainsbury's, M&S and Dunnes — with free parking for up to four hours.

3 photos
Open 7 daysLate to 10pm Thu & Fri · Sun from 1pm
Free to browseFree parking up to 4 hours
South BelfastUpper Galwally · BT8 6FX
Get directionsOfficial website
2–3 hoursHow long
All agesBest for
IndoorsRain-proof
FreeTo browse
Free 4 hrsParking

Around 40 shops, cafés and dining under one roof in south Belfast, with a big Sainsbury's and an M&S doing the heavy lifting — and the thing that sets it apart is free parking for up to four hours.

  • What you'll do — do a proper shop across the mall floor, with Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Dunnes Stores anchoring around 40 shops in all — Next, H&M, Boots, Argos, Waterstones, Clarks among them — then break for a coffee or a bite without leaving the building.
  • How long — a comfortable 2–3 hours for the shop and a coffee; longer if you're doing the big weekly Sainsbury's run and lunch on top.
  • Cost & parking — free to browse, and the car parks are free for up to 4 hours — plenty for most visits. Stay longer and it's a flat £2.20 for up to 6 hours. Over 1,200 spaces across an upper deck, an underground level and a multi-storey, with blue-badge and parent-and-child bays right beside every entrance.
  • Come ready — mind the hours: Sunday doesn't open until 1pm (and closes at 6pm), while Thursday and Friday run late to 10pm. Comfy shoes for the walk across the mall.
  • Food — cafés and quick dining rather than a big restaurant floor: Caffè Nero, Starbucks, Jamaica Blue, Muffin Break, Greggs, Nando's, Popeyes and a Sainsbury's café. Handy for a coffee or a fast lunch mid-shop, not a destination sit-down night out.
  • When — an easy any-weather choice, and a genuinely useful rainy-day one; weekday mornings are the calmest, Saturday afternoons the busiest.
  • Check the store line-up if you're coming for one shop. The centre has been changing hands and reshuffling tenants — recently rebranded and adding new units — so if you're making the trip for a specific store, it's worth a quick look at the centre's website or a ring on 028 9049 4990 first.
Plan your visit

Just turn up — it's free, and the car park is too

No tickets, no booking — walk in off the car park any day of the week. Centre hours are 9am–9pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am–10pm Thursday and Friday, 9am–7pm Saturday and 1pm–6pm Sunday; the big Sainsbury's opens earlier, from 7am Monday to Saturday. Individual stores set their own times, and hours shift on bank holidays and around Christmas — check the centre's website before a special trip. The best part is the parking: free for up to four hours across the upper, underground and multi-storey car parks, so most visits cost nothing to park at all.

Sainsbury's, M&S & Dunnes Around 40 shops in all Cafés & quick dining Free parking up to 4 hrs Baby change & feeding room Wheelchair loan
The store list is in flux:

Forestside changed hands in 2023 and has been rebranding and reshuffling its tenants, with new dining and retail units added. If you're coming for one specific shop, check the centre's website or ring 028 9049 4990 before you set off — and hours can change on bank holidays and around Christmas.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🛍️Reusable bagsSaves on carriers — and makes the big Sainsbury's shop easier back to the car.
  • 👟Comfy shoesYou'll cover a fair bit of the mall floor and the car park walk.
  • 💳A card for the dayShops, lunch and — if you're staying past 4 hours — the £2.20 car park.
  • 🕓An eye on the clockParking's free up to 4 hours; note the time you arrive so you're not caught out.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free to browse — you only pay for what you buy and eat, and for parking if you stay past four hours.
Opening
Mon–Wed 9am–9pm, Thu–Fri 9am–10pm, Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 1pm–6pm. Sainsbury's opens earlier (from 7am Mon–Sat). Individual stores vary, and hours change on bank holidays and around Christmas.
Parking
Over 1,200 spaces across an upper deck, an underground level and a multi-storey. Free for up to 4 hours; £2.20 for up to 6 hours (the maximum stay). Blue-badge and parent-and-child bays sit beside every entrance, with space-count screens at the entrances.
Shops
Around 40 in all, anchored by Sainsbury's, M&S and Dunnes Stores, with Next, H&M, Boots, Superdrug, Argos, Waterstones, Clarks, Pandora and more. The tenant list has been changing — check current stores before a special trip.
Food & drink
Cafés and quick dining rather than a big restaurant floor — Caffè Nero, Starbucks, Jamaica Blue, Muffin Break, Greggs, Nando's, Popeyes, Hotel Chocolat and a Sainsbury's café. Good for a coffee or a fast lunch mid-shop.
For families
A mother-and-baby room with feeding and changing facilities, parent-and-child parking bays by every entrance, and step-free access throughout. Pram-friendly across the mall floor.
Accessibility
Step-free with lifts between levels, accessible toilets, and wheelchairs available to borrow — ask at Centre Management (028 9049 4990). Blue-badge bays are the nearest spaces to each door.
Getting there
Upper Galwally, Belfast BT8 6FX — just off the Saintfield Road (A24) in Newtownbreda, a short drive from south Belfast and the outer ring. Translink Metro and Ulsterbus services stop nearby on the Saintfield and Ormeau roads.
How long
2–3 hours for the shop and a coffee; longer with the weekly food shop and lunch.
Questions

Before you go

Is the parking really free?
Yes — free for up to four hours across all the car parks, which covers most visits. Stay longer and it's a flat £2.20 for up to six hours, which is the maximum stay. Confirm current rates on the day.
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 parking if you go over four hours.
What time does it open on Sunday?
1pm — worth knowing before you set off. It runs to 6pm, and Thursday and Friday are the late nights, open to 10pm.
What are the main shops?
Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Dunnes Stores are the anchors, with Next, H&M, Boots, Argos, Waterstones, Clarks and more among around 40 in all. The tenant list has been changing, so check the website if you're coming for one shop.
Is there anywhere to eat?
Cafés and quick dining — Caffè Nero, Starbucks, Jamaica Blue, Muffin Break, Greggs, Nando's, Popeyes and a Sainsbury's café. Handy for a coffee or a fast lunch mid-shop rather than a sit-down night out.
Is it good with a pram or a wheelchair?
Yes — step-free with lifts between levels, a mother-and-baby room, parent-and-child bays by every entrance, and wheelchairs to borrow from Centre Management.
Getting there

Upper Galwally, Belfast BT8 6FX — just off the Saintfield Road (A24) in Newtownbreda, a short drive from south Belfast and the outer ring. Follow signs into the free upper or underground car parks, or use the multi-storey.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website

Check ahead: 028 9049 4990

See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

Cregagh Glen & LisnabreenyWooded glen walk to a viewpoint · short drive Belvoir Park ForestRiverside forest & trails · short drive Ormeau ParkBig city park & playground · short drive More days out in BelfastSee what else is close by
The story

From Northern Ireland's first supermarket

There's more history under Forestside than a shopping centre usually carries. The site was home to Supermac — said to be Northern Ireland's first supermarket, opened back in 1964 — long before the mall arrived. When Sainsbury's redeveloped the ground, it opened in two stages: the supermarket first, in April 1997, then the rest of the centre in September 1998.

Since then it has settled into being exactly what south Belfast uses it for — the weekly food run, the school-uniform trip and the browse-for-an-hour Saturday, all under one roof. Marks & Spencer put £8 million into a major expansion in 2006, and the anchor line-up — Sainsbury's, M&S and Dunnes Stores — has held steady since.

The most recent chapter is a change of hands: the centre was bought in 2023 and has been rebranding and reshuffling its tenants, adding new dining and shops — Popeyes' first Northern Ireland spot among them. So while the bones stay the same, the store list is worth a quick check before a special trip.

What earns it a spot on a days-out map is the everyday usefulness of it: free parking for four hours, everything indoors and dry, the big shops in one place — and, when you're done, a wooded glen, a forest walk or a city park just a short drive away.