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ack in August, the Hines Pan-European Core Fund m
ade a complaint to Dublin City Council, saying that flower vendors on Grafton Street were cluttering up the street. Hines are one of the city’s biggest landlords, owning several premises on the street, including Claire’s Accessories, Fields Jewellers and Hickey’s Pharmacy. After uproar from the vendors and the public, the complaint has been withdrawn, but it’s a scary reminder of how big businesses are stripping away Dublin’s soul. Many of these sellers are family businesses and a quintessential part of the city. To lose them, would not only further dilute our culture, but eradicate a tradition that has sustained these families through generations. As the dust settled, Totally Dublin went on the streets to talk to these women, about their role in the city, their favourite memories and their fears about what the city is becoming. ➝ 47