The Millennium Dome is London's top attraction for customer service, an independent survey has found.

The survey, from customer service consultancy company Managing the Service Business (MSB), found that 91% of the public rated customer service at the south London landmark as good or excellent.

This compares with figures of 78% for London tourist attractions, 74% for museums and just 56% for historic buildings.

But the vast structure does less well in the value-for-money part of the survey, with only 58% of the public rating it as good or excellent.

This compared with a 72% value-for-money rating for London tourist attractions, 63% for museums and 49% for historic buildings.

"Despite much criticism of poor service in the Dome, our research has found that the vast majority of visitors were quick to sing its praises," said MSB's joint managing director Don Porter.

"Rather than complaining about poor service or long queues, the majority of visitors we spoke to were extremely complimentary.

"Staff were praised for being helpful, informative, welcoming and friendly, not to mention enthusiastic, with many visitors declaring the whole experience to be wonderful.

"We did receive a small number of negative comments, highlighting, for example, the noise within the Dome, the lack of signposts and the need for more detailed information.

"Many visitors were also concerned about value for money.

"However, while there are, of course, areas that could be improved, it would be fair to say that the first month of the Dome has been a resounding success."

The survey's findings follow a rocky start for the Dome, which has been beset by cash-flow problems and low attendances.

On New Year's Eve thousands of VIP visitors were left shivering on an east London station platform because of an administrative bungle.

Free admission

Organisers had to fork out compensation to 6,500 guests, offering them a free day at the Dome, together with a £15 voucher to spend there.

On Tuesday 5,000 schoolchildren were admitted free to the Dome, the first of one million children who will enter the attraction on education tours during the course of the year.

It also has a rival following Tuesday's opening of the London Eye wheel.

The Dome is thought to have attracted slightly more than 300,000 visitors in January - far less than it needs to break even.

Official figures are expected to be released in the next few days.