Joe Duffy can be cranky at the best of times, but he was in particularly impatient form on Liveline this afternoon.
The RTÉ broadcaster called Dublin an ‘unadulterated kip’ in a rant against the number of popular businesses being forced to close down in the capital.
Duffy was taking calls from business owners complaining about the Business Improvement District initiative when he decided to let loose, having heard one called describe how Dublin city centre was a template for improving Dun Laoghaire.
“If you’re using Dublin city centre as a template at the minute, you should go into Dublin city centre as I do on a regular basis, it is dead,” said Duffy.
“Go round to Parnell Street and see that wonderful store called Peats Electronics. Now gone, dead, finito.
“What’s in Peats Electronics now? A liquidation store for who? For Clerys, dead, finito. What’ll be next into the redundant Peat’s? A liquidation store for Boyers.
“The city centre in Dublin is being taken over by pound shops, banks are being turned into fast food gaffs.
“There are now pound shops, 99 cent shops, 98 cent shops. Dublin city centre is turning into an unadulterated kip and nobody is shouting stop.
“So (the Business Improvement District initiative) would want to get up off their arse and do something about that. But that’s just me watching a city centre die and none of the various business groups are getting involved or doing anything about it.”
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
