To Love Essex?

[TigOldBitties]

People seem to hate it. I really like the place overall, obviously some pockets of the not so nice, but I can't understand why it gets such a lot of stick.

I love the accents, the people, most of the areas, the location etc.

I know people will mention TOWIE, but nearly all the things they are accused of appear and often with much worse examples in all the similar shows like Geordie Shore, Desperate Scousewives, Made in Chelsea and The Valleys.

Grew up in Leigh on Sea and now live near Chelmsford. Fabulous county - lively, friendly, great location and countryside but not boring or stuffy. For families, best schools in the country on your doorstep. New Hall School is one of the best schools in the SE of England, if you want independent, and the Essex grammar schools are the top performing maintained schools in the country.

Basildon girl here! 20 yrs of my life there and it did me no harm

However it's not the most desirable of places and I have left for better schools for DD.

Not everyone in the area is the 'classic' stereotype and I hate it when when people try mimic the accent when you say where you're from. Right gets me goat it does d'nnit??

Essex has beautiful countryside north of the a127 mainly

I'm an Essex girl too. I love it and am very proud of it.