My London: Harry Hill

He has his suits made in Berwick Street, likes food shopping in Harrods - but gets his booze in Asda, and suggests open-top bus tours for tourists. Comedian Harry Hill reveals what he loves and loathes about living in London.

How long have you lived there? Four or five years. I'm originally from Kent and moved to Tooting as a student. I had a brief foray over the river to Olympia but returned south. I think the countryside is nice to visit, but you have to book cabs one month in advance.

What advice would you give to a tourist? I would suggest one of those open-top bus tours. Whenever I visit a capital city I always do bus tours as they're a good way of learning the layout of a city. Don't travel on the Tube would be another bit of advice. You can't see where you're going so you have no idea where you are.

Who's in your secret address book? There's a fantastic shop on Lavender Hill called Party Superstore. It's like a joke-shop megastore. I buy jokes, props and fancy-dress items there and the owner gives me a discount. He once made me a Mother Teresa outfit for £60. You can't beat that.

What is your earliest London memory? Visiting the Tower of London as a kid. I remember having my photo taken with a Beefeater. I was thinking of taking my kids but they might be a bit young, plus it's about £20 to get in.

What do you miss most when you leave London? Good takeaways and getting cabs easily. Having said that, I've started driving again. I've just got the hang of the congestion charge. If you do it by phone it's quite easy and the traffic is so much better. I'm not a fan of the charge in principal as it is unjust - it excludes people who are hard-up. But from a selfish point of view, it's great.

What are your extravagances? Taking cabs.

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day? I'd lay off all the traffic wardens and allow free parking. There's no common sense left in parking - it's so ferocious and anti-social.

What is your life philosophy? If it's going badly, get off. If it's going well, get off.

How do you get around town? I don't live near a Tube station but I take buses occasionally. I mainly drive or get a cab.

Do you have a favourite pub? I found this fantastic pub - I don't know the name but it's opposite Battersea Dogs Home - and it's completely empty. Just us, the barman and a badly tuned radio.

What were the last books you bought? I've just been reading You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again by Julia Phillips. She produced Hollywood movies including Taxi Driver and Close Encounters of The Third Kind. She developed a huge cocaine habit, became unemployable, and spent $120,000 on crack in three months. She died of cancer about five years ago.

What was the last play you saw in London and did you enjoy it? Jerry Springer The Opera: It made me laugh

What are your favourite shops? My suits are made by Mr Eddie on Berwick Street. He's got his son involved now so it's called Mr Eddie and Chris. I asked, 'Why isn't it called Mr Eddie and Mr Chris?' I think he wanted to save money on the sign. I also use tailors in Streatham called Classic Cuts.

What is your favourite aftershave? My wife's just bought me a new smell but I can't remember what it's called. I used to wear Fahrenheit, which I liked but she didn't, so she got me this new one from The Conran Shop.

What was the last CD you bought? Magic and Medicine by The Coral. I've got an iPod and I load all my CDs on to it. My wife buys a lot of singles from the charts and I've discovered I quite like Beyoncé.

What are your favourite home comforts? I've got a 1958 Wurlitzer jukebox which is great. It plays 52 singles, one for every week of the year. My wife bought it for me a few weeks ago and it's a fantastic present. I'm playing it a lot. It makes you seek out singles as a hobby. And funnily enough, the music that plays best on it is the music from that era, Fifties doo-wop.

Harvey Nicks or Selfridges? Neither. I'm more of a Harrods man, especially the food hall. For Christmas, get your meat at Harrods but buy your booze at Asda. That's a very good tip.

Where were the last three places you went on holiday? Whitstable in Kent, Bermuda and Disneyland Paris. I went with my wife, our two daughters, who are five and six, and my parents. I wanted to go on the fast rides but they preferred the more gentle rides.

Harry Hill's TV Burp is on ITV1 on Thursdays