'The local cafés are full of people having job interviews'

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Unemployed City workers keen to get back into the job market were being quizzed all morning about their suitability for future positions.

Onlookers said normally quiet cafÈs surrounding the stricken bank were bustling with interviewees.

Tables outside Carluccio's restaurant, yards from Lehmans' European headquarters, were filled with bankers deep in discussion with head-hunters eager to recruit some of the City's top financial workers.

One onlooker said: "You can't get a seat anywhere as all the City workers are in here. All the cafÈs are full of people having interviews."

It is believed that about 4,000 employees will be forced to look for new jobs following the collapse of the investment bank yesterday.

Staff ambled into the Lehman Brothers HQ this morning, hours after their counterparts at other financial firms. Many were dressed in trainers and jeans and several carried large empty bags in order to clear their desks.

One worker today described the scene in the offices. He said: "It looks quite normal in there, everyone is sitting at their computers but now they're all looking for jobs. No one is doing any work."

Nicola Kirby, 34, a roadshow coordinator on the equity trading floor, arrived dressed casually shortly after 10am.

She said: "We got an email last night telling us we had to be in, but the traders all packed up their desks yesterday so I can't see them turning up. They've earned enough to not worry about it. I realise I might not get paid but I thought I should come in. I could have stayed at home but I would just be waiting to find out what is going on. I might as well be in here with everyone else."

Staff wandered in and out of the building all morning. One foreign exchanger dealer said: "We are in a state of limbo in there. We are waiting for further communication from the management and I think that coming in is the best way to hear about what is going to happen.

"I haven't got anything to do at the moment but I expect the administrators will instruct me to unwind the deals I am involved in."