Jame Thomas Mathew, a 23-year-old from Mallapally in Thiruvalla, Kerala, who completed a master’s in macroeconomics at the London School of Economics, has launched Thomas Tours — a social enterprise created to generate income and support fellow graduates navigating a difficult UK jobs market. Named after his grandfather, the venture offers flexible, part-time tour guide work that aims to pay the London Living Wage and preserve dignity and time for job hunting.
Drawing on his own experience as a cash‑strapped LSE student and a cyclist familiar with London shortcuts, Jame designs low-cost, immersive itineraries that show the city like a local using the Tube, red buses and walking routes. The service is priced to be far cheaper than many conventional city tours, keeping experiences authentic while allowing guides to earn a meaningful share of the fee.
On a Graduate Route visa himself, Jame says he has seen peers take demoralising retail shifts and zero‑hours contracts just to survive, leaving little opportunity for applications, interviews or networking. Thomas Tours is built for flexibility — guides can, for example, work three days a week to cover living costs and keep other days free for career activity. The aim is to pay guides at least the London Living Wage of £14.80 an hour, with tips from satisfied travellers supplementing earnings.
Thomas Tours offers themed routes such as “Icons of London,” museum-focused walks, shopping-street tours and sports and theatre experiences. Bookings begin with a free online chat to tailor a route that accounts for health and accessibility needs; payment is made at the agreed meeting point. Tours include practical tips to save on major attractions like Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.
Launched at the end of January, Thomas Tours has already taken initial bookings for June and plans gradual expansion. Beyond income, Jame emphasizes the project’s mental-health benefits: reducing loneliness and rejection among young jobseekers, creating opportunities to meet travellers from around the world — and sometimes potential employers — and helping visitors of all ages discover London’s history, local eateries and hidden gems affordably.
