If you’ve got it, flaunt it

There is seemingly no end to the popularity of Champagne, and it appears for some people the more expensive it is the better. A businessman, who is understood to be based in Dubai, managed to spend four times the average UK salary in 7 hours at the Crystal nightclub in London last weekend, mostly on prestige cuvée Champagne.

The gentleman concerned started the night with a palate-cleansing bottle of Pinot Grigio with a modest price tag of £25, before racking up a £105,805 bill. The generous man treated 15 friends and hangers-on, who were quick to join the party once they realized what was going on, to a Methuselah of Cristal (£30,000), two Jeroboams of Cristal (£9,600), nine magnums of Dom Pérignon (£6,900), 28 bottles of Dom Pérignon and 40 bottles of Cristal.

Champagne did not appear to be to everyone’s taste however as he also ordered a Methuselah of Belvedere vodka (£1,400), a Magnum of Grey Goose vodka (£380) and a bottle of Absolut to mix with 6 cans of Coke and 17 cans of Red Bull.

Fionnuala Synnott, 25/07/07