Mayor of London Boris Johnson was treated to a tour of some of Teddington's businesses on Tuesday and referred to the area as "a wonderful place to live".

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Cheers: Time for a quick pint 

Johnson was followed by a large crowd as he met staff at the Teddington Arms pub and shopkeepers in the High Street, where two independent retailers, Escape and the Kitchen Sync, were forced to close down earlier this year due to rent increases of up to 20 per cent.

Mr Johnson said independent retailers being forced out by increasing rents was a concern, and his party would review business rates.

He said: "As you know, the Chancellor has brought in small business relief. Teddington looks like a wonderful place to live and independent retailers are part of this.

"I do understand the importance of small businesses and I know Tania Mathias would be a great campaigner for these businesses."

When asked about rail fare increases for zones five and six that have seen the cost of a one-day travelcard rise to £12 for the borough’s residents, Johnson admitted the service was not value for money and "we think passengers are being ripped off".

He added: "We need Transport for London (TfL) to be in charge of that service.

"We can take those fares right down. We are in control of First Anglia lines and we are bringing those fares in line with TfL fares."

Johnson took the opportunity to praise his Conservative colleague Tania Mathias ahead of May’s general election.

He said: "I think she is doing really well and I think she has got to win. She is campaigning on all the key issues like Heathrow, and the current incumbent has been a limp dishrag on that issue.

"We will see what she can do and if anybody know about the issues in the NHS, she does."


'Everyone was going crackers'

The Boris circus rolled into town with an endless stream of selfie requests for the London Mayor and drivers shouting from their cars.

Edward Cummings, a 21-year-old student, was in Teddington High Street with his friends when Johnson arrived to meet Twickenham’s Conservative parliamentary candidate.

He said: "Boris Johnson was with Tania Mathias and everyone was going crackers really, less about what he had to say and more about getting photos to show off to their mates.

"Lots of people were saying 'oh my God that’s Boris Johnson, did you get a photo?' and I don’t know if they know much about what he stood for or his policies.

"I think people found out he would be there through twitter and it is amazing how you can follow his every movement as if he is a celebrity."