Phibsborough residents are split on the Dublin suburb’s latest ranking among the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.

The Dublin 7 area has regained its place at Number 27 on Time Out Magazine’s annual list, knocking its Northside neighbour Stoneybatter off the list altogether.

The magazine said the home of Bohemian Football Club has “valiantly weathered these truly bizarre times” while the pandemic has “hollowed out” parts of the city centre.

“Combining old-school charm and contemporary buzz, Phibsborough feels at once lived-in and lively,” the magazine writes.

“Locals are spoilt for choice with an abundance of coffee shops, restaurants and pubs right on their doorstep.”

File photo of Ronan Fox with his son Oisín with a ‘borrow a book’ stall they set up outside their home during lockdown, 11-04-2020. Image: RollingNews

These locals told Newstalk the neighbourhood has a lot to offer.

“It is like the city centre but without traffic and without too many crowds,” said one.

“Everything is the same – restaurants, places and people – you know everybody. It is very safe too.”

“It is a great place to live and I love living here,” said another. “Everyone identifies with Phibsborough; it is not just somewhere bland that you live. It is somewhere you share with everyone who lives there.”

The Back Page, Phibsborough. Image: Facebook.

There are others in the town who are not so sure.

“It’s cool if you have the money,” said one.

“Like most places, it is probably mostly down to gentrification.”

“House prices are going up here people are moving in and people who haven’t got the money are getting moved out. That is what I think of Phibsborough. It is happening to most places in Dublin as well.”

Bang Bang Café, Phibsborough. Image: Facebook.

“I think there are better places – maybe Rathmines or somewhere like that,” said another.

“I think they need to do up the shopping centre, just rejig it a bit. There are pubs and all around but I don’t think it is that nice. It needs to be all sorted out.”

The Hut, Phibsborough. Image: Facebook.

Time Out said the “local fixtures that are so quintessentially Phibsborough” are what sets the area apart.

“Bohemian FC murals, the snooker halls, the punk collectives, the brutalist behemoth that is Phibsborough Shopping Centre - if you’re looking for signs that Dublin’s heart is still beating, look no further than this brilliantly unhurried, unvarnished part of town,” it said.

Stoneybatter came in at number 42 on last year’s list but didn’t make the cut this time around.