They are trying their best to pretend the good times are not rolling again, but Britain’s banking class is starting to enjoy itself once more.
The evidence is all across the City with money being thrown at fine dining, luxury suits, lap dancers and premium bottles of wine.
Restaurants and bars across London’s financial district have reported a surge in sales in the past few months with many enjoying record Christmas sales. However, mindful of their unpopularity, bankers are shunning overt displays of wealth.
James Sleater, a former banker who co-founded a chain of tailors called Cad and the Dandy, said that since the credit crunch “pinstripes have died a death”. “People are still a bit funny if you say you’re a banker — they