Gareth Malone's My London

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North London, in the foothills of Hampstead and Highgate. I often bump into people I know, which I like.

Building you’d like to be locked in overnight?

The Imperial War Museum. I was one of those boys who thought he was going to be a soldier. At some point I realised I wasn’t best suited to it.

Last play you saw?

Ed Stoppard in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia at the Duke of York about five years ago. I prioritise opera and concerts over theatre.

Most romantic thing someone’s done for you?

My wife once surprised me with tickets to see His Dark Materials at the National as I got off the train after attending a singing workshop in Derby.

Best place for a first date?

The South Bank on a summer Friday evening, when there’s a real buzz about it. A first date ought to be low-key, so if it’s a disaster, you can say, ‘Well, this has been fun, hasn’t it? I’m gonna go.’

What would you do as Mayor?

Ban cars from Central London during working hours. Impossible, but wouldn’t it be lovely?

Best meal?

The beef tartare with cigar oil at Dabbous. It was aromatic and smoky, but not as bad for me as smoking a cigar.

Favourite shops?

Chappell of Bond Street [now Yamaha Music London] has a great sheet-music shop that’s good for inspiration and loads of gadgets. For clothes I go to Topman on Oxford Circus because it’s good for staples, as is Liberty — just a bit posher; Hackett for socks and The Kooples for suits.

Earliest memory?

Travelling from Merton Park to my dad’s work near the Bank of England. I remember the Tube stinking of cigarettes and everything being made out of wood. Dad’s office, by comparison, seemed impossibly modern. It was the early 1980s and they already had word processors.

First thing you do when you come back to London?

Head to Monmouth Coffee at Borough Market for a decent cappuccino. I love that you can choose the actual beans.

Building you’d like to buy?

Witanhurst, the house that was used for Fame Academy. It has a car lift, staff quarters, a two-tier cinema, a 70ft pool and a Jacuzzi.