Higher rate taxation

If anyone doubted the appropriateness of a new higher rate of tax and the need to curb the excesses of the City of London and those with more money than sense, then here is the proof that you need...

An unnamed businessman and around 18 friends last Saturday set an "all-time record" in alcoholic extravagance by working their way through £105,805 worth of booze in London's Crystal nightclub, the Telegraph reports.

During the marathon spendfest, which kicked off with a bottle of Pinot Grigio (£25), they quaffed £80,000 worth of champagne, including a six-litre methuselah of Cristal (£30,000), two three-litre jeroboams of the same (£9,600*), four bottles of Cristal Rose (£2,400), six magnums of Dom Perignon (£4,200), 36 bottles of Cristal (£12,960), 12 bottles of Dom Perignon Rose (£4,200), 15 bottles of Dom Perignon 1999 (£3,600), and three magnums of Dom Perignon 1995 (£2,700).

The revelers also appear to have indulged in a bit bit of vodka and Red Bull action, blowing £1,400 on a single bottle of the former and a modest £76.50 on 17 hits of the latter (that's £4.50 a can, in case you're wondering). Mercifully, they evidently gave their livers a brief respite during the booze marathon by ordering eight bottles of upmarket H20 Voss Still - an absolute bargain at £6.50 each.

The final tally was £81,471.50, plus £13,951 in tax and a cool £10,382.74 for service. Nightclub spokesman Fraser Donaldson admitted: "I have been in the nightclub business for 20 years and this is an all-time record."