Bubbly and breasts do brisk business in recession-hit Britain

It has emerged that even with the recession going on in Britain, there was a huge sale of champagne and an increase in the number of visitors to lap-dance clubs.

According to Tesco, it sold 500,000 more bottles of fizz this month than last December, which is a 45 per cent rise, and that Birmingham was the UK champagne capital - ahead of Manchester and Kensington in West London.

"People are putting the recession behind them," the Sun quoted Tesco wine manager Andrew Carpenter as saying.

And a top London operator revealed that numbers at topless dance clubs are back at pre-crunch levels.

The Secrets chain has been boosted by the return of City bankers, and a surge in female guests, who make up a fifth of punters at its Covent Garden venue.

"Numbers are back up," chief Stephen Less said.

"City boys are returning and we see more ladies than ever. Younger people have a different attitude to sexiness and fun than ten years ago," he added.