Forever carping about rent hikes, incomers who haven't done the requisite 95 years apprenticeship and, above all, each other, one tailoring firm recently tried to organise a collective protest/photo opportunity to highlight the Row's plight. Could they manage a moment of solidarity? No fear!

Instead of gathering outside the requisite spot they hovered outside their own patches, glaring at each other until reluctantly agreeing to gather outside the only firm they all agree is not a 'proper' tailor, Japanese denim obsessive, Evisu. My enemy is your enemy indeed.

It's a shame, because one of the most historic firms, Anderson & Sheppard, was recently forced to move around the corner, and stalwart Huntsman also ran into severe financial difficulties. Given all this a bit of collective action would be heartening.

If they guarded their art as closely as the couturiers of Paris, they might not be in such a mess. But as usual in Savile Row, the cry goes up, "Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me!"