25 OCTOBER 2003, Page 95

Q. Where can I buy 'placement' cards and which are the best sort to plump for?

C.B., London SW3

A. You can buy place-a-table cards at Smythson, 40 Bond Street. Parties can get off to a bad start if amnesiacs canna remember the names of those old friends they are sitting next to and have to gawp. For this reason experienced hosts buy the 'triptych' varieo.,, so people can see the names of those sitting on their left and right without having to give themselves away.