Yes, it's a pop angle to the credit crunch. Sort of. There has been criticism in the press of a party held for Lloyds TSB employees last week which was headlined by Duran Duran of all people. They don't come cheap, of course, and nor do all the expensive hotels, flowing alcohol or other lavish extras dished out at the weekend-long party.
The extravagance has been criticised as it coincided with news that Lloyds, like other high street banks, had just been knocking on the door of the government asking for multi-billion pound bail outs after becoming victims of what economists call "being run by the bunch of over-paid idiots". One source at the Duran Duran headlined party told The Sun: "It's the most extravagant corporate event I've ever seen. There was little mention of the credit crunch as they filled their boots. It was a disgusting spectacle".
Lloyds argue the party was organised and mostly paid for months before the banking industry started skidding into self-induced oblivion, and that the event was for staff not senior management.