I have fond memories of boozy City lunches, but the demise of the 'two bottler' is long overdue

'Apart from spending a considerable sum of money, piling on the calories, and making me feel terrible the rest of the day, what did they actually achieve?' asks Chris Blackhurst

Far too many careers and lives have been ruined by what began as the odd liquid lunch turning into a daily occurrence (Getty/iStock)

The two old boys were having lunch. On the table was a bottle of wine. When they ordered a second, there was an audible ripple of admiration around the room. Fellow diners smiled in their direction.

This scene unfolded recently in a City restaurant. Indeed, the two men looked as if they had met for a bit of a stockbroker reunion, to reminisce about their share trading, and lunching, days.

Hardly anyone has a “two bottler” any more. Not at lunch on a work day. One bottle is rare, but a couple – that is going some.