If the systems changeover for the euro turns into chaos, then the proprietor of a greasy spoon café in the City of London might know why.
"These banks want me to stay open over the changeover weekend so that their staff can get their fry-ups and tea and coffee," says Ron, who owns Ferrari's, a cafe near St Paul's Cathedral. But just before Christmas he wasn't sure that he would open up, citing a failed precedent.
"I opened up for them when they had their practice runs a few weeks ago, and it was a waste of time. They came in dribs and drabs, buying teas and coffees. But they didn't spend enough to make it worthwhile for me to open, and I had to throw a lot of food in the bin."
And why was this? "By midday most of them had left work and gone to the pub," says Ron. Wouldn't it be a shame if years of preparation failed because of bankers' fondness for a tipple. Antony Currie