Recently being awarded city status, and once the capital of Britain in Roman times, Colchester has a new claim to fame after being voted Britain's most "miserable" place to live in a new poll.
It's got a lot to shout about - some of its most famous residents include Blur, Dermot O'Leary and Darren Day and it is the UK’s oldest recorded town.
While walking about, historic remnants of walls remind you of its historic status in Roman times, but it seems that status may have declined in modern-day.
Mirror writer Grace Hoffman went down to visit - and ask locals what they thought of the claim, with many hitting back at the negative news.
She writes: "Initially, upon my visit, the city lived up to its name as locals matched up to the reputation of the city and refused to speak to me.
"Yes, perhaps, visiting the most 'miserable' city less than two weeks ahead of Christmas Day wasn't the smartest idea as people scurried past with an abundance of excuses - arms aching with carrier bags.
"I will admit that the further I stepped into the city and past the anti-social shoppers on the main high street - the cobbled streets are particularly heart-warming as are the shop owners who offer that feel-good feeling."
While most places in the UK reported an increase in well-being in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic, Colchester saw a decline compared to 12 months before.
The historic Essex city came bottom for "happiness" in a nationwide survey on personal well-being by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Each year it asks respondents for a rating alongside their sense of life satisfaction, how worthwhile they feel, and levels of anxiety.
Upon the Mirror's visit, local residents hit back at the city's misery as they praised its vibrancy and selection of independent stores.
However, a local freelance illustrator believes that the city lacks just that...
Catching the 65-year-old man on a break from Christmas shopping, he told the Mirror: "It's not the fact that it's the most miserable place, it's the fact that everything has actually been stripped out of it.
"It's a city, up until then it was a town, supposedly the oldest Victorian town in the country. Since then, places like Marks and Spencer have closed, so places with any sort of calibre I suppose is Fenwick - but that's very expensive.
"You've got Primark. You used to have Marks & Spencer and Debenhams. There's a really s*** Tesco down there and there's a Sainsbury's - and that's it.
"I don't know whether it's the most miserable place to live but it's not the most salubrious."
However, co-owner of CBD Healing Store Jorge Miranda, 45, disagrees with the claim as he praises the "beautiful people" of the city and the "good business".
He says: "I disagree. Colchester has beautiful people and to be honest, I don't see any miserable people living here.
"People that live here are quite happy, so I don't understand that it was voted the most miserable in the whole of the UK.
"There's good food, there are good people, good relations, and good business. I'm not sure why people voted!"
Wildflower boutique owner Nicola Hepworth also slams the claim of her home city, claiming that the independent stores are what rake in tourists and loyal shoppers.
She explains: "I strongly disagree that Colchester is the most miserable town in Britain. I've lived here since I was seven, I think there are lots of places to go and I think there are a lot of independent shops.
"My boutique has been here four years and I would say now I'm getting people from further afield to Colchester because of the independent shops.
"I get people coming in looking for the jewellery shop that closed down four years ago and they moan that there are no shops. Well, if they're not coming in to use the shops there's not going to be any.
"It's only the negative people that are being negative about it. But there are some really nice places to go - lovely places to eat."
Passing the blame to the city's new "miserable" name, the 56-year-old continues: "All you've got to do is look at the social media and any post that's put up all that people moan about is the state of the pavements.
"The council is working to improve things, they've got a £7 million grant, but everything takes time.
"We've lost a few shops. We've lost Debenhams, we've lost Marks and Spencer, and Next has moved to a retail park, but that's just the town evolving - it doesn't mean it's the end of the world.
"It was the end of the world when Woolworths shut, but we survived, didn't we? We've got H&M instead and I would much rather have H&M than Woolworths - it's just the place evolving.
"I think you'll find that the people who are the most negative are the ones who won't come down and optimise what they have here."
Boutique owner Karen Ludford strongly disagrees, saying: "I completely disagree that Colchester is the most miserable place. I think that it's absolutely vibrant."
She continues: "I chose to have a shop here this year even in the financial climate that we're in - there's always something going on. The Mayor and the Mayoress are always doing something at Castle Park.
"I get the most fabulous customers in. I've never had anybody miserable and it's been one of our best decision - it's got city status now.
"It's really fabulous and I can't believe it's been voted the most miserable. I've owned this shop since May."
The 50-year-old believes that Colchester's misery is misjudged, saying: "I don't think it's Colchester. I think that through the media and through TV and with all the strikes and with all the weather - everyone is calling it the winter of discontent.
"I don't think it's just Colchester, I think genuinely people are quite negative.
"I think if you went into any town people are unsure about what's going on - we're all suffering from the financial climate," she added.
The top 10 most "miserable" places to live in Britain are:
1. Colchester
2. Redditch
3. Norwich
4. Tunbridge Wells
5. Lambeth
6. Mid Sussex
7. Mansfield
8. Craven
9. Glasgow City
10. Epsom and Ewell
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