Lloyd’s of London calls time on the City ‘long lunch’

WORKERS at Lloyd’s of London have been banned from drinking during the day after around half of disciplinary cases were found to relate to alcohol.

The ban prohibits the insurance market’s 800 employees from consuming alcohol between 9am and 5pm between Monday and Friday, potentially putting an end to the tradition of the “long lunch” at the City institution.

Anyone who does not comply with the measure risks facing gross misconduct procedures and could lose their job. The ban is included in the Employee Guide, but staff are unimpressed with the new rule.

Comments from employees on internal web page seen by the London Evening Standard include complaints that the measure is “heavy handed” and was imposed without consultation.

One worker said: “Did I just wake up from my drunken drug-induced slumber to find we are now living in Orwell’s 1984? Lloyd’s used to be a fun place to work. Now it is the PC capital of the world where you can’t even go out for a lunchtime pint anymore.” Another asked: “Will we be asked to go to bed earlier soon?” A memo circulated to staff said: “The London market historically had a reputation for daytime drinking but that has been changing and Lloyd’s has a duty to be a responsible employer, and provide a healthy working environment. The policy we’ve introduced aligns us with many firms in the market.

“Drinking alcohol affects individuals differently. A zero limit is therefore simpler, more consistent and in line with the modern, global and high performance culture that we want to embrace.”

A Lloyd’s spokesman said: “Our employee guidance was recently updated and provided clarification on the Corporation’s position on drinking alcohol during the working day, which is prohibited.”

The ban does not affect brokers and underwriters from other firms who are based in the same building.

‘Did I just wake up from my drunken slumber to find we are now living in Orwell’s 1984?’