Leading article: Tasteful suggestion

Pity the Fat Duck. Like the financial markets, restaurants feed on confidence. Who will trust Heston Blumenthal's baroque culinary creations now, especially since the mystery of what made those diners ill remains unsolved?

What Mr Blumenthal needs is some hero to fling open the doors of his restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, and to offer to test every one of those wonderfully strange dishes to prove they are uncontaminated; rather like those royal food tasters of old.

But who could be called upon to perform such a selfless public service? They would need to have a few quid in their pocket (the prices at The Fat Duck are rather fat themselves). Perhaps someone whose reputation could do with a little burnishing? Maybe an individual with some experience of biting off more than they can chew?

How about it, Sir Fred Goodwin? It might go down easier than humble pie and sour grapes.