Castle Quay brings together Banbury’s indoor shopping centre, Lock29 food market and the Waterfront’s restaurants and leisure venues beside the Oxford Canal. The Light, Banbury Museum and Tooley’s Boatyard give visitors options beyond shopping.
Information checked: 16 October 2026. Public parking is in South and North 1; North 2 is staff-only. The published standard tariff starts at £1.60 for up to one hour, with free parking from 6pm to 7am. Individual shops and venues have their own opening hours.
Shops at Castle Quay
The centre’s current shop directory includes Boots, Superdrug, Holland & Barrett, Waterstones, JD, New Look, Pandora, F.Hinds, The Fragrance Shop, Vision Express, GAME and The Entertainer. It also lists Lidl, Sports Direct, HMV, TGJones, the Post Office and mobile-phone retailers.
For a particular shop, follow its directory entry to check opening times and contact details. The directory is more useful for planning a visit than an old shopfront photograph or a fixed list that may include departed businesses.
Food and drink: Lock29 and the Waterfront
Lock29’s current traders include Pasta Delight, Smash Cow, Sushi Me, Wings ’N’ Things, Chick ’n’ Bun, Jammin Pizza, AJ’s Grub Hub, Vintage Teas, Roses of Bloxham and Boba Bros. WanderBar is listed for drinks, and Smite & Bite is part of the Guest Kitchen programme. Traders and their opening days can change, so check before travelling for a particular stall.
Elsewhere, the centre’s food and drink directory lists Nando’s, PizzaExpress and Pinto Lounge, alongside cafés including Coffee#1, Costa and Muffin Break. Pinto Lounge is separate from the Lock29 trader line-up. The previous version of this guide incorrectly listed Otto Lounge.
Lock29 also publishes a programme of events, including live music, comedy and pop-ups. Check the individual listing for dates, booking requirements and any admission charge.
The Light Banbury
The Light has seven cinema screens, ten bowling lanes and activities including Adventure Climb, mini golf, interactive darts, karaoke, American pool, shuffleboard and an arcade.
Standard cinema seating consists of wingback chairs; recliners are an upgrade, not the seating provided with every ticket. The venue says food and drink can be taken into screenings. Its kitchen and bar offer meals including pizzas and burgers.
Book the activity and seating option you need through the venue, and check any age, height or supervision requirements. Cinema, climbing and other activities have separate booking arrangements.
Museum, boatyard and the canal
Banbury Museum & Gallery offers free entry to its Banbury and Waterways galleries. Temporary exhibitions in the PYE Gallery carry admission charges, so “free museum entry” does not mean every exhibition or event is free.
Tooley’s Boatyard offers a chance to see a historic working dry dock, forge and workshops. Its visitor information lists free entry, with charges for boat trips. Check the trust’s programme for guided tours, demonstrations and seasonal sailing dates.
The canalside setting also links the shopping and leisure areas with nearby Spiceball Park. The Waterfront includes a Premier Inn for overnight stays.
Castle Quay parking: prices and entrances
Use postcode OX16 5UN for Castle Quay. According to the centre’s parking information, South car park is off Cherwell Drive and is convenient for the shopping centre and Lock29. North 1 is off Spiceball Park Road, close to The Light and Waterfront restaurants. Both public car parks are open 24 hours. North 2 is for Castle Quay staff only.
| Stay | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 hour | £1.60 |
| 1–2 hours | £2.50 |
| 2–3 hours | £3.20 |
| 3–4 hours | £4.00 |
| 4–5 hours | £5.40 |
| Over 5 hours | £7.50 |
| Sundays and bank holidays, all day | £1.60 |
Parking is free from 6pm to 7am. EV charging is available in North 1. The centre lists payment by major debit or credit card, coins and notes. Check the entrance signs and payment instructions for your visit.
The Light advertises parking validation for customers. Confirm the current offer and validation procedure with venue staff: its venue page and the shopping centre’s parking page give different Sunday/bank-holiday amounts, so this guide uses the centre’s published standard tariff.
Getting there by train, bus or bicycle
The centre estimates a 10-minute walk from Banbury railway station. Banbury bus station is at Castle Quay’s eastern end. Check your operator’s timetable for the day you intend to travel.
Bicycle racks are listed beside the Oxford Canal outside Premier Inn and on Bridge Street. See the centre’s travel directions and current published centre map for orientation. Follow the parking page’s staff-only restriction for North 2.
Opening hours
| Main shopping centre | Published hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 8.30am–6pm |
| Sunday | 10.30am–4.30pm |
These are the centre’s opening hours. Individual retailers, restaurants, Lock29 and The Light may open and close at different times, including on bank holidays.
Accessibility and family facilities
The centre’s facilities information places accessible toilets, the Changing Places facility and baby changing behind the Customer Services Desk, near the Lock29 tunnel from South car park. The Changing Places facility has a height-adjustable changing bench and hoist.
Accessible parking bays are on the ground floor of South car park and in North 1. The centre directs visitors using the accessible route to The Light and its terrace via North 1’s lower-ground level.
The Light’s accessibility page describes wheelchair and lift access to its screens and adapted screenings. Contact the venue before booking if you depend on a particular route, lift or facility; confirm that it meets your needs and is operating. This guide does not guarantee that every activity or route is accessible to every visitor.
Castle Quay permits dogs on leads, with a maximum of two per customer and none left unattended. Individual venues can have different rules: The Light allows trained assistance dogs but not other dogs.
Banbury town-centre changes
Cherwell District Council’s Banbury information describes town-centre investment and the Banbury Vision 2050 work. Proposed regeneration should be distinguished from facilities already open: check specific council announcements for the status of a future scheme.
Updated 16 October 2026: corrected parking charges and free-parking hours, the Lock29 and restaurant listings, cinema seating and facilities information. An outdated map and fixed retailer table have been replaced with links to the centre’s current information.
