The glory days of executive boxes at the Roodee racecourse and being wined and dined by suppliers seems over, except for in obscure sartorial subcultures on the net. Most of the serious players in my industry send letters out each year, asking who have you entertained, what was it, what dates, and how much did it cost?

Such is the rampant paranoia, that simple gifts as Christmas hampers and bottles of whiskey or wine have to be dropped off late at night in car parks far away from the place of work. Meanwhile, brown envelopes and "consultancy" fees remain as ever.