My London: 'Last of the great cities'

Mr Malunga's friendliness won him a World Class Welcome award

Cleaning supervisor Brian Malunga's enthusiasm for his adoptive city makes him popular with Somerset House visitors and recently won him a tourism award. But he fears being priced out of London.

Somerset House is a romantic place. I come from a country [Zimbabwe] where we don't have buildings dating back to the 1800s - it is an honour.

My day starts from six in the morning and we do all these floors. We are trying to preserve them in as much the same state as we can.

From 10 o' clock I get into "tour guide mode" when I have to clear the tables.

Although I'm not required to speak to customers, I have taken it upon myself to get acquainted with what London is, what it stands for, so when people say: "What do you have to offer here?" I can answer.

I think this is the last of the great cities.

When you look back in history to great Alexandria, you find people from all corners of the world and this is what you get in London.

Keeping Somerset House's historic floors clean is a specialist job

You will find African foods, Indian restaurants - everyone's taste is catered for.

The museums are pretty fantastic places and the night life is brilliant. I do enjoy the theatre and I have a passion for ballet.

My last big viewing was Swan Lake, it was absolutely breathtaking - I have never seen it done entirely by a cast of men.

Bus services have improved as well - that's pretty helpful, especially for bussing people to and from attractions.

I normally use the 176 bus and that is absolutely top notch.

It takes about 35 minutes [from south east London] and I just jump off the bus, cross the road, come through the Strand entrance and Bob's my uncle!

If house prices continue the way they are, I will probably be forced to leave Brian Malunga Cleaner wins tourism award

But the cost of living is too high, I pay through the nose for everything.

I want to buy myself a property but I can't get into the property market because I am priced out of existence.

It is a nightmare renting, but it is working out cheaper now because house prices are so exorbitant.

The big worry is that you might not have something to show for working for the next 10 years.

I know people who live halfway to Leeds who are coming to London and working. It's absolutely ridiculous, it's a sad fact people have been reduced to that extent.

If house prices continue the way they are, I will probably be forced to leave. That's the sad reality.

I do feel like an ambassador for London and it will be sad for me to leave. I feel I will have been robbed of this ambassadorial position that has been thrust upon me.

With every office block you build you should build at least two similar sized blocks of flats - you can't have office workers without houses.

---

My London is a series of features about life in the city which will be on News Online every Monday. If you have a story suggestion please send an e-mail to: [e-mail].