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You know things have changed dramatically in Belfast city centre when there are more pigeons than people on the pavements.
No tumbleweeds blowing down the streets just yet, but take a stroll through Northern Ireland s busiest shopping area and you would be forgiven to thinking that the end of retail as we know it is nigh.
Yes, those pigeons have little to coo about.
Six months ago, I was staggered by the number of empty units on the city s main shopping thoroughfare.
That sunny bank holiday at the end of August - just over five months into the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic - signs of decline were everywhere, with 34 vacant premises where thriving outlets used to be.