AMY CHILDS: "The only way for the economy is Essex"

As regular readers know, last week I asked in Parliament about booming small businesses in Harlow.

Prime Minister David Cameron even replied: "The only way is Essex!"

TOWIE star Amy Childs (pictured above) has now written about it for The Sun. Her article follows below:

Harlow is powering ahead despite tough times. And TV's TOWIE has been credited with sparking a £1.4 billion High Street bonanza.

The economic recovery in Essex has been massive. The recession is very bad but doesn't seem to be hitting Essex as badly. I hope other counties will see as much success.

At the weekend the High Streets are full of people in restaurants, shops and salons.You can't move on Brentwood High Street. People must be thinking: "What is the point of saving for a rainy day when it's raining every day?"

Essex is now a tourist attraction. Since the show started it has got a million per cent busier.
People want to do the tour, there are tour buses on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I've had a few guys in my salon who had seen the show in Australia, now it is going to America too.

Booming ... Essex has seen a huge increase in tourism

Yesterday I went to an Italian restaurant in Essex and the staff had never seen business so good in 11 years.

There is a nine-week waiting list for my salon. I feel very lucky. But even before the show aired, I worked at a salon and it was always busy because girls here really look after themselves. They want to look nice even if times are tough.

In the current climate I am careful with money but do spend it on looking good.

In a recession girls will turn to a manicure as a cheaper pick-me-up. They might not be able to afford having their hair done but may afford that smaller thing. As a businesswoman you have to offer things people can afford. I have offers aimed at the recession, like little pamper packages.

Down the High Street in Brentwood there are about 15 salons and I go in to see what their prices are and whether I am too expensive.

I hope other counties can be helped by the success of Essex. I would like to open franchises of my shop all over, in places like Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. I've always been proud of Essex and hearing David Cameron talk about Harlow being helped by the Towie effect is mental.

I met him once and wanted to say: "Come to Essex and see how successful the businesses are." But he had security around him.

With Chelmsford having become a city this month, it's a good time to be an Essex girl and I hope the rest of the country can follow our example and have similar success.

by Robert Halfon MP - Working Hard for Harlow.