There is a definite spring in the step of all the bulls and bears stomping around the square mile right now. It has been a good year in the City and the end of year bonuses have swelled accordingly. Right now, there are more than a few bankers and traders who are absoulutely swinning in it, which means that they should be able to prop up the property market for a good while yet.
Of course, you can't blow all of your cash on bricks and mortar, so it was a good thing that St. Valentine's Day rolled around yesterday, providing a legion of young stags with the opportunity to shrug off any ideas of keeping a low profile and indulge in some gratuitous spending. Here's what a South African website , courtesy of Reuters, had to say...
Some luxury shops in London's financial districts, collectively referred to as the "city", prepared themselves by hiring security to help keep the peace among young, hard-driving city types renowned for their exuberance and competitiveness. Upmarket Feltons Flowers said a queue of people eager to pay prices upwards of £225 for the finest in flowers stretched out the door, past their temporary security guards and down the street.
"Fights broke out last year," one shopworker said.
They write 'exuberance and competivenss', we read 'dickheadedness'. Not that we get bitter at our lack of five figure bonuses of course. It goes on....
Luxury chocolate shop Ackermann's was busiest on Monday and has already sold out of its most expensive item, a heart-shaped pink satin box of chocolates, priced at £65. Lingerie retailer La Senza said it was doing a roaring trade at one of its stores near the heart of the square mile which traditionally defined the boundaries of the city of London.
A shop manager said the top selling lingerie item was a "Baby Doll" - a see-through bra top with a thong.
No accounting for taste eh? We sense that the City boys have been spending a little too much time down at Spearmint Rhinos lately, and have perhaps lost touch with what the average gal likes in terms of underwear.
