City pubs reap benefits of workers drink culture

Bars in the City of London are reaping the benefits of a new working week drinking culture.

A poll of professions including those in banking, law, television, advertising, management consulting and accounting has revealed that 48 per cent admitted to being the worse for drink at least one working day a week, and two-thirds had called in sick due to alcohol at least once in the previous month.

Some respondents working in City firms reported a drinking culture where people were expected to join after-work sessions in the pub.

Harry Briggs and Marcus Waley-Cohen, both 26, surveyed the drinking habits of 500 of their friends and colleagues as part of a plan to market a herbal hangover cure.

Mr Briggs said: "Some people I've spoken to say they find it quite tiresome having to go to the pub so often, but they can't wriggle out of it. It's considered daring to see how much you can drink and still make it to your desk in the morning."

James Davy, chairman of Davy's wine bars, said the company's City outlets now do at least 50 per cent of their business in the evenings. "That's a big change from 20 years ago, when most of our trade was at lunchtime."

He said that there has been a culture change in many offices which means workers are less likely to go out during the day.

"The old fashioned three-hour lunch is very hard to find. These day, whether it's corporate entertaining, or people entertaining themselves by going out for a drink with colleagues, it's far more likely to take place in the evenings."

A spokeswoman for London brewer Fullers, which operates a small number of City bars, said: " The City certainly doesn't have as much to celebrate as it used to. In our experience, people are drink a little more often, going out through the week rather than having one big night out."