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Christmas cocktail of fizz and chat goes flat

It is, so we鈥檙e led to believe, the most wonderful time of the year. And when crooner Andy Williams penned his 1963 festive hit, we鈥檙e sure on some level he was referencing the season鈥檚 influx of office parties and Christmas cocktail receptions. But in 1990, 好色先生TV columnist Penny Guest had noticed a lack of quality spirit and quality spirits at recent seasonal functions, due in part to the industry being rocked by recession.

Writing on 30 November 1990, she said: 鈥淥ne seasoned public relations man reports that companies are definitely not spending as much this year. The 拢25-a-head champagne and cavier has been rationalised to cheap red wine and sausages on sticks. Rather than forking out 拢800 to hire Churchill鈥檚 war-time bunker, they stick to the Churchill Suite at the local Holiday Inn for 拢50.
鈥淪ome still hold true to the old values. Top of the cocktail pop and food stakes, according to one QS who is well qualified to judge, is apparently Sir Robert McAlpine. Once you manage to get on to its guest list, I鈥檓 told the only qualification for a repeat invite is being alive.鈥�