Richard Branson's My London

Where do you stay in London?

I have a home in Oxfordshire, but when I?m in town I tend to stay with my children, Holly and Sam, who both live in W11.

Best place for a nightcap?

I wouldn?t go anywhere in particular. I?d just head to Notting Hill and find a nice pub

Advice for a tourist?

London is one of the most exciting cities in the world with so many fantastic pubs and restaurants. I would urge people to get out there and see as much as possible.

Best meal ever?

I always enjoy dinner at the family-run Greek restaurant Halepi in Bayswater.

Do you collect anything?

I seem to collect companies. I start a lot of them because I just can?t resist a new challenge.

Building you?d most like to live in?

British Airways HQ, as long as all the take-off and landing slots at Heathrow would come with it.

What would you do as Mayor for a day?

Grass over about two-thirds of the city so the streets became places for kids to play and London was a collection of lots of little villages and not dominated by cars.

Where do you go to let your hair down?

The Roof Gardens in Kensington. It?s a beautiful venue with a great restaurant and wonderful views across the city. Plus, it has flamingoes, which I happen to love. In fact, I breed them on Necker Island.?

Biggest extravagance?

Owning your own Caribbean island is rather extravagant, isn?t it? I bought Necker Island for ?60,000 30 years ago and it?s given me so many happy memories, including Holly?s wedding earlier this year. We often have family and friends coming to visit.?

Animal you?d most like to be?

I?d be a tiger, even though they?re critically endangered. They?re the most extraordinary creatures. I went to India in the hope of seeing one but didn?t succeed.

Last album you bought?

I haven?t bought an album for a long time but I?m a big fan of Peter Gabriel and listen to his music a lot. He's also a good friend of mine. I saw him a few nights ago.

At the moment you are?

Concentrating on Virgin Atlantic?s new routes. We?ve just started flying to Cancun, which is the most amazing place, and we?re hoping to launch flights to Moscow next year.

Who?s your hero?

I absolutely love Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I know him quite well and he?s set such a great example with the work he?s done in South Africa. He?s taught us to forgive our enemies, which is important. He also has a wonderful sense of humour.

Earliest London memory?

I moved into a nice houseboat in Little Venice when I was 15 years old. I found a girlfriend called Monday and a houseboat called Friday, so I had the week sewn up.

Ever had a run-in with a London policeman?

Yes, but not for many years. When the Sex Pistols released the ?God Save The Queen? single on Virgin Records 25 years ago, we celebrated by going along the Thames on a barge and the police decided to interrupt the party.

Last three places you went on holiday?

I recently visited Madagascar, where I went walking in the rainforest to see the lemurs. From there, I went on safari in Ulusaba, my private game reserve in South Africa, and after that I swam with whale sharks off the coast of Mexico. They?re the biggest fish in the ocean with mouths up to five feet wide, but they?re gentle giants. I nearly swam right into one?s mouth.

Return flights from London Gatwick to Cancun International Airport with Virgin Atlantic cost from ?619 (virgin-atlantic.com)

Source: http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/richard-bransons-my-london-8075927.html

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