There’s more to Essex than TOWIE

That Essex County Council is spending £300,000 on an advertising campaign to rehabilitate its reputation can’t come as a surprise. The only surprise is that it didn’t think to do it before – or that somehow they believe £300,000 is enough to turn the tide. As far as I can tell, £300,000 won’t touch the sides. And in a strange way, I’m glad. Because Essex, as Britain’s most underrated county, is something of an undiscovered haven for ex Londoners like me.

Don’t believe me? Let’s do a test: if I say the word ‘Essex’ to you, what images come to mind? The cast of Birds of a Feather, perhaps? The boy band Bros, a Mark III Ford Escort and perhaps Sir Alan Sugar?

If you’re under 35 then Essex may summon thoughts of the television programme TOWIE, populated by orange-fleshed folk blessed with strange teeth.

But if you can overcome the cultural bastions of dental work and silicone, then I invite you to re-evaluate what you think you know about Essex.