In the modern Castlecourt shopping complex in the centre of Belfast yesterday evening, there was an air of despondency among many shoppers at the news that Mr Peter Mandelson was about to suspend Northern Ireland's political institutions.
"What can you do, love, there will always be people who can't agree," said Ms Mary Stuart (67), from Belfast.
"I remember when I was young and the city centre was all lit up at night and then the last 30 years we had a ghost town. I was just feeling that things might be getting back to normal at last. If you think that all it would have taken was a gesture from the paramilitaries . . ." Linda, a student teacher from Belfast, said while she was not happy about the suspension of the Assembly, the Northern Secretary had no alternative.
"I think a lot of recent developments, especially some investments in education and so on, have been really positive but then you can't have peace at any price. I don't think suspension is the best move but then we can't go on any longer without Sinn Fein making at least some gesture on decommissioning."
Mr Bobby Taylor, from Glengormley, Co Antrim, was out shopping with his baby grandson. He felt "nothing but fed up" with developments.
"There are too many people wanting their own way but I think most blame lies with Sinn Fein. If you are serious about peace, why would you want to hold on to your arms? I think the unionists have given into everything. They have nothing left. It's now republicans' turn to give something. Fair is fair, isn't it?"
Mr Ian Bell, from Yorkshire, who was visiting relatives in Belfast, said he felt "very sad".
He added: "It has looked so well over the last two months. I am from the mainland so I don't want to put blame on anybody. But I think there is a lot of intransigence on both sides. I think the politicians will succeed eventually because, frankly, there is no alternative."
A student from Queen's University in Belfast said she was angry local politicians still had not grown up.
"The problem is that they are still arguing about stupid things like religion when they should be dealing with the everyday issues like health, education and the economy, like everywhere else in the world.
"They have shown that they can do it so why not get down to business and forget about the rest? Instead, they have all manoeuvred themselves into a corner that they can't get out of now."
Mr Stuart Crawford, a student living in Larne, Co Antrim, but originally from Co Tyrone, was a lone voice of optimism among all the gloom. While "extremely disappointed", he was still hopeful politicians would pull something out of the hat at the last minute.
"We have been in crunch talks before and they came up with something at the last moment. It's not asking that much of the paramilitaries to give up something, even just symbolically. It doesn't even have to be arms, some of the bomb-making equipment would do.
"But then, there has been too much blame already. Everybody is blaming the other side when they should just sit down and work it out together. What we have seen over the past two months - politicians from different traditions working together - nobody would have believed that could happen even a year ago.
"Miracles have happened before and I believe they could happen again."
Mr Laurence Murphy, a taxi-driver from west Belfast, felt it was unfair to lay all the blame on Sinn Fein. "Sure, people say all that is needed is a gesture by republicans. But do they realise how humiliating that would be for the IRA? The guns have been silent for the last few years. Now for me, being in the dangerous profession that I am in, that's good enough. So why can't it be good enough for other people?"
He was contradicted by a young mother with two toddlers from Co Down, who said republicans could not just have it all their own way. "Unionists have agreed to the release of prisoners, to RUC reform and even to Sinn Fein ministers in government. And what have they got in return? No, I am sorry, while I feel really sad and depressed today, I think there has to be a point where unionists said: `So far and no further'. "
Not everybody was upset. A sun-tanned young man, who was scrutinising a jeweller's window, said he "couldn't care less".
"This is my last opportunity to get a Valentine's gift before the shops close. All I care about is making my girlfriend happy."