August has historically been the month of beach holidays for those bankers able to get out of the office (and long lunches for those forced to remain).

In a survey on Financial News' website last week, 42% of respondents said that interns were left running the show during summer in the City [see chart]. Edward Bibko, a capital markets partner at law firm Baker & McKenzie, said: "The office can be so empty and tomblike; you see lots of young people you've never seen before in the hallway."