Capitol Centre, Cardiff
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox shopping mall
| name = Capitol Centre
| image = Capitol Centre Cardiff.png
| caption =
| location = Cardiff, Wales
| address = Queen Street, Cardiff
| coordinates = {{coord|51|28|56|N|3|10|20|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| closing_date =
| developer =
| manager =
| architect =
| floor_area = {{cvt|158,256|sqft}}
| website = {{URL|capitolshopping.co.uk}}
| footnotes =
}}
File:Capitol Centre geograph-3873455-by-Jaggery.jpg
Capitol Centre ({{langx|cy|Canolfan Capitol}}) (previously: Capitol Exchange Centre ({{langx|cy|Canolfan cyfnewid Capitol}})) is an indoor shopping centre in the city of Cardiff, Wales. Functioning as one of the city's retail malls, The building is built on the site of the former Capitol Theatre, and is situated at the eastern end of Queen Street near the Dumfries Place bus terminus and Cardiff Queen Street railway station.
It was anchored by a large H&M store, with the front of the centre being dominated by Tesco since Virgin Megastores and Zavvi ceased operations in 2009. Tesco has dominated the front of the Capitol Centre since November 2012.
History
File:Capitol Centre ground floor.jpg
The Capitol Centre was opened in 1990, with attempts to replicate the original architecture. Ceramic tiles from the previous Victorian Dutch Cafe tearooms were incorporated on the eastern exterior.{{cite news |author=Conor Gogarty |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/once-bustling-cardiff-shopping-finally-23510592 |work=Wales Online |title=The once-bustling Cardiff shopping area that finally has new hope after decades of decay |date=27 March 2022 |accessdate=4 April 2022 }} The style of build dated very quickly and, in 1999, the centre underwent a £10 million redevelopment, which included the refurbishment of the pedestrian areas, the removal of the food court and new entrances into the centre (although much of the original external facade still remains). It was completed in November 1999.{{cite web |url=http://www.colmanarchitects.co.uk/projectpage.cgi?id=2578_ |publisher=Colman Architects |title=Capitol Centre, Cardiff |accessdate=15 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716004103/http://www.colmanarchitects.co.uk/projectpage.cgi?id=2578_ |archivedate=16 July 2009 }}
There were plans to develop 164 apartments, plus retail and commercial space and additional car parking facilities at the corner of North Edward Street and Station Terrace. This would provide 50 per cent additional spaces, bringing the total car parking spaces up to 632. The scheme architects, Dobson Architects, expected it could be completed by 2012, but this never happened.
In 2015 Capitol Centre was bought by new owner NewRiver Retail.
In 2022 plans were revealed to create a new 14,500 sq ft food court in attempts to revive the centre's fortunes.
Cinema
The centre had originally also housed a five-screen Odeon cinema up until 2001, it has reopened in April 2015 operated by Premiere Cinemas.{{cite news|title=Lights! Camera! Action! A £1m refit will see a former Cardiff cinema brought back to life in time for Christmas|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/lights-camera-action-1m-refit-7784833|accessdate=18 September 2014}}{{Cite web|title=Premiere Cinemas Cardiff|url=https://cardiff.premierecinemas.co.uk/PremiereCinemasCardiff.dll/Page|access-date=2021-08-03|website=cardiff.premierecinemas.co.uk}} In October 2022, Premier Cinema closed permanently.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline|Capitol Centre, Cardiff}}
- [http://www.capitolshopping.co.uk/ Capitol Centre official site]
{{Culture in Cardiff}}
{{Economy and Industry of Cardiff}}
Category:Shopping arcades in Cardiff