Sign of the times

If anyone needs reminding that hard times are always good times for pawnbrokers, just take a walk past the old Reuters building at 85 Fleet Street.

There on the next corner at number 88, where there used to be a Woolwich Building Society office, there’s now a pawnbrokers shop, Suttons & Robertsons.

It opened in June and offers loans of up to £1 million in return for pledged jewellery, diamonds, watches and other valuables. It’s definitely the smarter kind of pawnshop, but could have been useful when we all worked at 85 FS.

Ironically, the nearest place to drown your sorrows once you’ve pawned your heirloom is at 85 FS, in Lutyens bar, where a Bloody Mary costs £9.50 and the cheapest champagne £50 a bottle! ■