Out with Towie as Essex tries to shed its brash image

After many attempts to polish its public perception, the county is yet again pouring money into a campaign

What is it with Essex and makeovers? It was reported that the county council is to invest more than £300,000 to put its best face on and “challenge people’s preconceived ideas of how they see Essex on TV”. Council bosses wanted to banish thoughts of The Only Way Is Essex, fake tan and fast cars synonymous with the south of the county, replacing them with the Constable-country vistas, windmills and nice thatched cottages of north Essex.

We’ve been here before. The council’s drive to combat the Essex stereotype is almost as old as the stereotype itself. In 1997, moves to improve the county’s image were reported in the national press. “Difficulties arise when overseas investors come to the UK, go to competitor locations, and hear jokes about Essex girls having more shoes than books,” said the head of the Essex Economic Partnership, Terry Conder. The council said it often received letters from residents about Essex’s reputation.