Tributes have been paid to a hotel manager who died after being hit by a car on Kensington High Street.
Niksan D’Costa, 27, was crossing the road in west London at 8.20pm on Thursday when he was struck by the vehicle.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by the pedestrian crossing near TK Maxx.
Mr D’Costa had recently left his job at the Hoxton Hotel Holborn where he had been working as a duty night manager.
His former colleague Beth Devine described him as a “supportive and caring” person who was popular with guests and fellow staff.
She told the Standard: “When I started at the hotel he was so nice to me and very supportive. We are in total shock, he was such a lovely guy. Everybody liked him. he was so popular with everyone at the hotel. We are devastated.”
Rodolphe Augusto, who worked with Niksan at the Hard Rock Hotel in Great Cumberland Place, added: “Niksan was a great friend of mine and a precious work colleague.
“He was a pure soul, such a lovely person, very helpful and always with a smile on his face.
“Niksan loved London and he was very focused on the hotel industry, he was a very hard worker and family oriented.”
A shop worker described how passers-by tried to save Mr D’Costa before paramedics and police were scrambled to the scene.
Police arrested the 25-year-old driver on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
He was released on bailed until a later date in May.
Traffic police are trawling CCTV images and want anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.
Mr D’Costa’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
