/ 24 July 2007

Man spends $210 000 on London drinks bill

A Middle Eastern businessman spent over $210 000 in a five-hour, champagne- and vodka-fuelled spending spree in a London nightclub on the weekend.

Fraser Donaldson, a representative of Crystal, a club favoured by Prince Harry, said in 20 years working in the industry it was the biggest bill he’d seen from one customer.

The unnamed big spender entered Crystal at midnight on Saturday with friends — nine women and eight men — and ordered a $50 bottle of white wine, a spokesperson for the club said.

But before long he was ordering magnums of Dom Perignon at $1 400 each and then called for a Methuselah — eight bottles in one — of Cristal Champagne at $60 000 and the party spread.

The festivities ended with a ”night cap” consisting of a Methuselah of Belvedere vodka, which cost $2 800. ”He basically just said, ‘keep the drinks flowing’,” the club spokesperson said.

When the party left at 5am, the bill was £81 471,50, which with tax and service added amounted to £105 805,28 — $218,000. It included the cost of six Coca-Colas. — Reuters