Reddit is one of the world's biggest social media sites.

It's designed so that users from all around the world can anonymously join small communities they're interested in, and comment on relevant posts.

This means that people can really let their opinions loose, knowing it's unlikely that someone they know will see what they post.

Inevitably, users on the site started to slag of places in Essex and, after a bit of digging, we've located the most downtrodden areas on the site.

Reddit is an international website, so the mention of these areas online may be the only time someone for a far away country ever hears about the place.

We love Essex, and thought we'd address the concerns raised about towns and places in Essex.

Here's what we thought.

Basildon

One of the most common places to speak negatively about in Essex is Basildon.

The 'new town' in the South of Essex is famous for many things including Depeche Mode, brutalist architecture and the world's first glass bell tower.

However, it is more prominently referred to as a dodgy town where crime is high and drug dealers run wild.

When one Reddit user posted a picturesque autumnal scene in Basildon's Gloucester Park, Reddit user 'marshwizard' said: "I was expecting a line of crappy shops covered in dead leaves.

(Image: Festival Leisure Park - Facebook)

"This is probably the first "nice" pic of Bazvegas I've ever seen, not that I intend to take the kids on holiday there in the near future."

Similarly, when a video of a drunk man falling off of a plant potter went viral online, it was shared in a local subreddit with the title "Putting Basildon on the map."

The top comment on this post is: "It just had to be in Essex."

What we think...

Basildon is one of the most dominant areas of industry in Essex, as well as currently undergoing a large system of regeneration.

Soon the town centre itself will become a state of the art entertainment centre, with a multi screen cinema and countless bars and restaurants.

(Image: Basildon Council)

Empty retail units are filling up with restaurants and independent businesses, and the once hedonistic hotspot of "Baz Vegas" has become more and more family friendly over the years.

The town is booming, with a new further education college opening up in the town centre and regular police patrols improving the crime levels - according to local businesses."

The green areas of Wat Tyler Park, Gloucester Park and Northlands Park are well kept, making for a brilliant for families to visit.

Even KFC have committed to opening two more restaurants in the town.

Southend-on-Sea

(Image: Sludge G)

The seaside town of Southend has historically been a holiday destination for many Londoners and Essex residents alike.

But like many seaside towns, they aren't what they used to be, and the town has become less attractive to both day-trippers and Essex residents.

When one Reddit user posted a night time view of an empty Southend High Street after rainfall just before dawn, the comments were full of sarcastic comments.

One user said: "Don't see many scary aggressive drunk people. Is this the new Southend?"

In reply, user "ElOxle" said "It's been raining so they stay in to avoid ruining their shellsuits and cheap hair bleach."

When the images of Southend Bus Station went viral a couple of years ago, after someone used their own blood to write messages on the walls, user "miraoister" sarcastically said: "never felt so proud to be from Essex"

What we think...

There's life in Southend still, you just have to look a little harder.

The music venues of the Railway Hotel and Chinnery's have provided a brilliant platform for unique and eclectic artists, and the student population of the town has meant that the high street isn't suffering as badly as other seaside towns.

Yes, the seafront isn't what it used to be and the lack of an annual airshow to bring in crowds has hit the town hard.

But in the summer, it's still a cracking place to go for a day-trip.

And there's sporting prowess to be proud of, with Southend United still being Essex's biggest sporting team and Rochford Hundred rugby team haven't lost since April 2017.

That's over 100 competitive games.

Barking

(Image: Owen Dunn)

The Essex town bordering East London isn't often in people's mind for good reasons.

Earlier this month, a man was jailed for 13 years for shooting a teenager on a train in Barking.

The town is often seen as a hotspot for drug crime, as one of the border towns used by county lines drug gangs.

As well as this, the town is seen not to have an identity - too London for Essex, too Essex for London.

On Reddit, user "britishotter" had his identity stolen from a person living in Barking.

After viewing it on Google Maps, he said: "it looks like a right s**thole."

What we think...

Being so close to the city, Barking has brilliant transport links to one of the most culturally significant cities in the world.

There's two ways to look at the town; you can either see it's dual Essex/London nature as a negative, or view it as having the best of both worlds.

It acts as a perfect combination of being within the metropolitan sprawl, with the ability to travel two minutes up the road from the East Essex countryside.

The River Roding also presents a quaint get away from it all, which just isn't possible in other areas.

Tilbury

Tilbury, traditionally the dock-focused town within Thurrock, is often seen as a land left in the past.

It's primary industry and workbase isn't as strong as it used to be in the past, with housing and entertainment facilities left lacking in quality and variety because of this past.

On top of this, the notorious C17 gang have members and operations throughout the Thurrock towns, including Tilbury.

On Reddit, a post about one Essex resident's long walk from Leigh-on-Sea up the river Thames to East Tilbury was plagued with a comment section full of Tilbury bashers.

User "DontEatYourBeets" simply said: "Shame the day has to end in East Tilbury really."

Similarly, an aerial comparison between Tilbury today and a bomb-ravaged Tilbury from 1940 left the comments section full of statements like: "If anything, being bombed improved it" and "Looks like this place hasn't changed much."

What we think...

(Image: TripAdvisor)

The historical prestige of Tilbury is one almost unparalleled by anywhere else in Essex.

Tilbury Fort remains an interesting historical landmark, and a brilliant alternative day out for eager young history buffs.

The ferry allows for a really easy way to get to Kent if the Dartford Crossing is disrupted, as it often is.

And the town's closeness to the Lakeside Shopping Centre makes it really easy to experience an variety of top quality restaurants and shops without having to trek into London.

Braintree

Braintree in itself is actually regarded as a lovely place.

It has low crime rates, good quality housing and a pleasant and nearby countryside.

There is one thing it has a reputation for thought.

And that's having absolutely nothing to do.

When Reddit has an error message and is unable to show a particular page, it will display the words: "There doesn't seem to be anything here."

And when the Braintree subreddit showed the error message, one clever user screenshotted it with the comment: "People from Essex should understand this..."

User "daveyjam" added: "I live just outside Braintree, and it's a s**thole."

What we think...

(Image: Flickr Stephen)

Braintree is home to Braintree Village Shopping Centre, one of the more unique retail destinations in Essex.

It's stylised as a genuine village, and so is a little more exciting to walk around.

As well as that, the Great Notley Country Park provides a brilliant selection of activities for young children and families.

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The town's rural location also makes it a brilliant combination of countryside and Essex town.

And of course there's the unique and historic Braintree Gants.