London polishes the silver ready for an invasion of well-heeled protesters

London is bracing itself for the arrival of an angry horde. Yet rather than battening down the hatches and boarding up the shopfronts, it is more a case of polishing the silver and pulling out the corks.

The arrival of up to 300,000 protesters, many of them well-heeled, in support of the second Countryside Alliance march on Sunday has led to full bookings at the Michelin-starred restaurants along the route.

The gentlemen's clubs of Pall Mall and St James's are expecting a busy day, waiving centuries-old rules on dress and female visitors. With the rumoured participation of Camilla Parker Bowles and the prospect of a procession of landed aristocracy, the message is clear: nobody is too posh to protest.

Some of Britain's leading public schools, including Eton College, Harrow and Radley have permitted boarders an extra night off to attend the march.

Besides a clutch of pro-hunt balls, the most exclusive gathering is a private party for 300 supporters thrown by Charles Moore, editor of The Daily Telegraph, at a venue kept secret because of to a potential threat from anti-hunt campaigners. Guests will range from the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire to Kate Hoey, one of the few pro-hunt Labour MPs.

Also competing for best march party will be Penny Mortimer, wife of Sir John Mortimer, who has invited 200 guests to a north-west London church. Miranda Quarry, wife of theEarl of Stockton, is hosting a pro-hunt party at the Parisienne Chophouse in Knightsbridge, run by one of the countryside movement's most flamboyant champions, Marco Pierre White.