Bono meets match with searing attack on ‘brazen’ hotel plan

BONO is not a man known to be short of words but he may have met his match in an opponent to his hotel expansion plans.

The U2 frontman and his bandmate, The Edge, who are partners in the Clarence Hotel in Dublin city centre, have been accused of “brazenness”, “pique” and “anachronistic insensitivity” in their plan to demolish all but the famous facade of the protected building and create an enlarged premises behind.

Their critic is environmentalist Michael Smith, former chairman of heritage group An Taisce, who has lodged a formal objection with An Bord Pleanála urging rejection of the proposal, which was approved by Dublin City Council last month.