Who is Bat in the novel, The Housing Lark?

Bat is a young West Indian man who moved to London in the 1960s after the government encouraged emigration from Commonwealth countries to fill in their post-war labor shortage. He is unmarried and has no children. Bat embarks on a journey of self-discovery and growth as he begins to dream of becoming a homeowner and sharing with his friends as they all try to get ahead in London society.