My London: Will Young

What advice would you give to a tourist?
Head to the river and just keep walking. It is almost instinctive: just pick a route and remember to look up.

What are your most memorable London meals?
I went to Claridge's with Simon Fuller when I got my first record deal. I had just got to London and I felt like I was in a film it was so glamorous. We had seven courses, including ice-cream truffles.

What do you miss most when out of London?
I like the fact that there is always some way to escape, some form of avoidance in a big city.

Where were the last places you went on holiday?
Ibiza, to a villa near San Jose. It was so incredible that I flew home, did a day's work, and then flew straight back. I stayed in a huge g"te near Draguignan in the South of France with my family. I sat around, ate cheese and read books. It was bliss. And I stay at my house on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. It is so peaceful.

What would you do as Mayor for the day?
Remove all the observation cameras. They are an infringement on our human rights and only there to extract money.

What are your favourite home comforts?
My house is a bric-a-brac gallery. I have an old red brigadier's tail coat, embroidered with silver thread. Every time I look at it I am inspired.

What are your extravagances?
I am a serial collector. I love old things, particularly Victorian pieces. They have their own story. The other day I bought an old boot and stuck it on my wall.

What is your life philosophy?
Treat others as you like to be treated.

What is your favourite London view?
From the second-floor balcony of the National Theatre just as it gets dark.

What are your current projects?
I'm preparing for my tour, which ends in London with dates on 12 and 13 December at the Roundhouse in Camden.

Which is your favourite London street for shopping?
Golborne Road. It is a huddle of Aladdin's caves full of antiques.