Over the past year, TS has been using the same excuse for not leaving tips at restaurants, namely that the money would most likely be used to illegally avoid paying National Insurance Contributions. After all, this is what we were being told by the Revenue.

But TS and HMRC are now a bit red faced, after the taxman admitted getting it wrong, and that tip schemes called troncs could be used to top up wages to minimum levels without paying NICs.

HMRC may have agreed to pay back the fines dished out, but TS is going to have to think up another blinding excuse for not leaving tips. ‘The soup was a bit cold’ wears thin after a while.