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[Longton]

From the Daily Telegraph 25 July 2007

Businessman's bar bill hits �105,805

By Richard Alleyne

The businessman's night out with friends started quietly enough with a �25 bottle of wine. It ended a few hours later with a bar bill for �105,805.

In between, the businessman and his circle of friends, which had swelled by closing time, had polished off 80 bottles of champagne, including a six-litre methuselah of Cristal worth �30,000 and a �9,600, three-litre jeroboam.

The bill for champagne alone came to more than �80,000. One bottle of vodka cost �1,400.

The celebration took place at Crystal in Marylebone, central London, a nightclub launched with the help of Prince William and Prince Harry's friend Jacobi Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe.

A favourite with the horsey set, its founding members include Lady Victoria Hervey and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.

Fraser Donaldson, a spokesman for the club, said: "I have been in the nightclub business for 20 years and this is an all-time record."

The spending spree began when the businessman, who is believed to be based in Dubai, arrived on Saturday night with about 18 friends.

He started by ordering a �25 bottle of Pinot Grigio but before long he told club staff: "I want the drinks to be flowing all night."

Along with some cheaper drinks, the revellers consumed: one methuselah of Cristal (�30,000); two jeroboams of Cristal (�9,600), 36 bottles of Cristal (�12,960); six magnums of Dom Perignon (�4,200); 12 bottles of Dom Perignon Rose (�4,200); 15 bottles of Dom Perignon 1999 (�3,600), three magnums of Dom Perignon 1995 (�2,700) and four bottles of Cristal Rose (�2,400).

The drinkers drifted away at 5am but not before a nightcap of vodka, a Belvedere Methuselah, the equivalent of eight bottles.

From the Gulf News 27 July 2007

Businessman's bar bill hits �105,805

By Richard Alleyne

The businessman's night out with friends started quietly enough with a �25 bottle of wine. It ended a few hours later with a bar bill for �105,805.

In between, the businessman and his circle of friends, which had swelled by closing time, had polished off 80 bottles of champagne, including a six-litre methuselah of Cristal worth �30,000 and a �9,600, three-litre jeroboam.

The bill for champagne alone came to more than �80,000. One bottle of vodka cost �1,400.

The celebration took place at Crystal in Marylebone, central London, a nightclub launched with the help of Prince William and Prince Harry's friend Jacobi Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe.

A favourite with the horsey set, its founding members include Lady Victoria Hervey and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.

Fraser Donaldson, a spokesman for the club, said: "I have been in the nightclub business for 20 years and this is an all-time record."

The spending spree began when the businessman arrived on Saturday night with about 18 friends.

He started by ordering a �25 bottle of Pinot Grigio but before long he told club staff: "I want the drinks to be flowing all night."

Along with some cheaper drinks, the revellers consumed: one methuselah of Cristal (�30,000); two jeroboams of Cristal (�9,600), 36 bottles of Cristal (�12,960); six magnums of Dom Perignon (�4,200); 12 bottles of Dom Perignon Rose (�4,200); 15 bottles of Dom Perignon 1999 (�3,600), three magnums of Dom Perignon 1995 (�2,700) and four bottles of Cristal Rose (�2,400).

The drinkers drifted away at 5am but not before a nightcap of vodka, a Belvedere Methuselah, the equivalent of eight bottles.

[NadiaK]

???

[Longton]

This tests reading skills and highlights self-censorship on behalf of Gulf News.

[adorabilly]

you mean the removal of the part of the story that says he is from dubai?

they may feel that is is unnecessary to point out his ethnic background as it is not pertinant to the story, but it furthers serves to enhance a sterotype.

what does his country of origin have to do with it? Would the original story have said a business man from America if he was a yank? it would not have been important.

so I can see why it was edited out, it was not necessary, as well as it was inflamatory towards muslims (if he was from dubai he must have been a muslim, and if he was a muslim he is a hypocrite, etc....) was it necessary?

[Stephen Jones]

You take from Dubai out and it now becomes a stereotype of the decadent west, since you'd presume the guy was London based.

Nice to see Dubai has taken over Saudi's role as the homeland of profligate sheikhs!

[Longton]

The article states the businessman is believed to be based in Dubai. That doesn't mean he's Emirati. He could be British, American, Saudi, Pakistani......

[veiledsentiments]

When I found the difference, my immediate assumption was that it was a Western businessman based in Dubai - presumably British considering the place... doesn't seem an establishment that would welcome colonials no matter the size of their purse. It never occurred to me that he might be an Emirati... though the Royals in the Dubai Emirate are likely part of the horsey set. so...

But my expectation would be that the first article would have said that it was an Arab, if he were one... for the reverse stereotype from the Arab News removal.

VS

[stoth1972]

I assumed he was British, admittedly. I agree with whoever suggested it's the Gulf News censoring in order to ensure it's the Briton portrayed as sinful, rather than have people second guess like we are.

[trapezius]

In a Reuters article, it said:

Middle Eastern businessman

No, not ME-based.

And my friend from London (who is in London) can confirm that it was an Arab, but nobody wants to say an Arab from where.

[stoth1972]

Well, there you go.