Beautiful sprawling properties on sale for as much as £1.5m, buoyant locals seemingly loving life… so, is that this metropolis actually the saddest place in Britain?

It is the birthplace of Colman’s Mustard and home to the legendary Alan Partridge and ‘national treasure’ Stephen Fry – but it’s now been given the rather unwelcome tag of saddest place in the UK. 

Norwich has beautiful, sprawling homes for sale complete with gardens clearly fit for the most upbeat summer parties – but you can bet the city’s estate agents will be keeping quiet about a certain recent study. 

And while Stoke and Swansea followed closely behind, the survey – by energy and home services company British Gas – concluded Norwich’s 150,000 dwellers felt the gloomiest in the entire country, especially during the darker months. 

Research claims to have found more than a quarter of the city’s locals really do suffer with the ‘January blues’, and it hits them harder than in other parts of the country. 

But can this historic Anglo-Saxon settlement really be as glum as these ‘findings’ suggest? 

The Daily Mail went out to see what locals thought about life in the city and Ann Cobbold, 64, seemed a good person to start with – especially as she works as a funeral director… She was out with her husband Kevin when we spoke with her. 

She said: ‘We’ve lived here for 42 years and I do not get the winter blues at all! But I know other people get it and it’s to do with nutrition and possible melatonin and things like vitamin D – not Norwich.

‘We heard about this survey yesterday and we were surprised because Norwich is upbeat.

‘It’s a city but does not have city problems like other cities have. Life here is good.’

Mr Cobbold, 66, who lives with his wife in Cringleford, a village just on the outskirts of Norwich, added: ‘I’m really really surprised that that came out, that people in Norwich have that [winter blues]. But I think of my mum. She does struggle to get out of the house in the winter. 

‘She loves her garden and the winter does stop old people doing things they love and they’re stuck inside and they worry.

‘I’m not sure people have got over what happened during Covid. People have got to get back to going out. Norwich is not a depressed place.

‘I would say here that we’re very fortunate because you get to see so much around here. People still feel safe.

‘When you see the restaurants and pubs there are still a lot of people in them.’

Meteorologist Martin Kandor, 54, has lived in Norwich for four years. He said, of the notion that Norwich is a depressed place: ‘It’s all a load of s***.

‘People are bored to death and come out with these terms. What does it even mean? It’s like we have nothing else to do with our minds!

‘We are spoilt little adults running around and getting worried to death.

‘I came to live in Norwich after looking at it online and seeing it was a nice place.

‘I find a lot of people here are really rich and coming here to retire. They come and buy a big house and they’re not going out and meeting people.

‘This [January blues] is nothing to do with Norwich. Just go to Birmingham. They have crime there, but Norwich is safe.

‘What do you mean, January blues? You’re in paradise here. It’s really clean, all the parks are empty, there are canals and 40 minutes away is the sea. You have fresh food… if you can afford it.

‘It [the survey] is ridiculous. It’s a fashion thrown around by social media. It’s nonsense.’

Zack Vernum, 22, makes video games for a living and has lived in Norwich for four years.

He said: ‘I don’t get the January blues. Norwich is a lovely city and there’s a nice sense of community here.

‘People are obviously going to be reasonably down in January. Christmas is over. But I hadn’t notice people here were more depressed.

‘Maybe they’re just better at hiding that they’re miserable!

‘I don’t know what age the people were who took part in the survey, but maybe if the winter fuel allowance has been cut it would make people feel more angry and being depressed about it would be fair enough.’ 

Lynda Durrant, 67, a graphic designer from Lewes in East Sussex, was in Norwich visiting her father. She said: ‘He has a cheerful attitude. He’s 99 and three quarters and has lived here for 50 years. Norwich has done him well.

‘This survey surprises me a bit. Why Norwich? I would say that it feels safe to live here. It’s not a depressing place at all.

‘It’s a very random thing to survey people on and 2,000 people isn’t very representative. It’s probably good click bait.’ 

James Brodie, 64, said: ‘I was born and bred in Norwich and I don’t get it [the January blues]. But everyone’s different. 

‘Some people live alone and if you’re on your own you’re probably more likely to get it.

‘It’s me and my wife Tracie and she doesn’t get it. I don’t really know why people get it.’ 

Mike Read, 69, runs a fruit and vegetable stall on the market.

He said of the British Gas survey: ‘They must have talked to all the people who don’t work. I don’t get the January blues because I’m outside all the time. Fresh air keeps you healthy. Just live life.

‘I was indoors yesterday afternoon, watching TV and thought “that’s enough daytime TV”. 

‘That’s enough to give you the blues, daytime TV. It’s total garbage, listening to Vanessa [Feltz] talking about Amanda Holden cooking naked.

‘I blame the media – they talk about Blue Monday and every TV station talked about it and people were just walking around Norwich looking like there’s no tomorrow.

‘I swear the media make people feel they’re worse off. Norwich is one of the best cities in the country. It’s got everything you could want.

‘The bars and restaurants are all the way through [the city] and they’ve got people in them. There’s a great castle and two cathedrals.

‘People in Norwich have got it really good. Then the papers say it’s the most depressed place and it’s absolute cr*p.’ 

However 71-year-old Moira, a retired human resources manager from Norwich, said January is a ‘miserable’ month, adding that she tries to get out because it’s healthy.

She said: ‘My daughter is up from London and we were just commenting on what a miserable month January is.

‘It’s grey and miserable. I just take it as a miserable month and know it will be over at the end of the month and I make sure I get out and do a lot of things.

‘I make the effort to get out because it’s healthy to get out. But I have absolutely no idea why people in Norwich would say that [they get the winter blues].’

Despite the survey’s findings, Norwich is home to some beautiful million-pound properties that some could only dream of owning. 

But would you snap one up despite the British Gas research, if the city’s magnificent cathedrals, thousand-year-old castle, museums, and history dating as far back as the Roman conquest of Britain weren’t enough reasons to tempt you? 

There’s not too much that’s depressing about some of the rather lavish homes on sale. One five-bed property on the outskirts of the city, Hill House Gardens, has been valued at £1.5million. 

The ‘exclusive’ development’s lavish features include underfloor heating and a double garage – and there’s a Waitrose just a stone’s throw away. 

Another, on Woods End, costing £1.5million and completed in 2023, has been described as being ‘beautifully designed with impeccable attention to detail’. 

The Band F property, sprawled across 0.8 acres, includes a private tree-lined driveway, landscaped garden and Miele kitchen appliances. 

Meanwhile, a £1.3million home, situated closer to the city on Eaton Road, offers vaulted ceilings, a cast iron fireplace and an Aga cooker. 

Norwich’s ranking as the saddest place in the country comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) asked tens of thousands of people to rank their happiness, life satisfaction, anxiety levels and sense of worth last May. 

The survey found people living in the South West of England were the most likely to be generally happy. 

Elsewhere in Cornwall, Dorset, Devon, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, the average happiness index score stood at 7.6.

And more than a third of residents reported very high levels of happiness, scoring between nine and ten. 

However, the North East, North West and West Midlands all came joint-last, with residents’ happiness averaging 7.3 by comparison. 

Meanwhile, in November, property website Rightmove ranked Norwich as the 49th best place to live in the UK. 

It comes as British Gas revealed it had been installing SAD lamps, which stimulate daylight, across the Norfolk city. 

David Moody, of British Gas, said: ‘Winter can be a difficult time, but we’re here to provide reliable support, so people can focus on feeling good and getting through the season.’ 

Dr Becky Spelman, a psychologist, revealed that January is often one of the hardest months of the year for many Brits. 

‘Seasonal Affective Disorder is linked to reduced exposure to natural light, which can affect the body’s internal clock and the hormones that regulate mood and sleep,’ she said.

‘Even people who do not meet the criteria for SAD, often experience a milder version of the winter blues. 

‘This is not a sign of weakness. It is a very human response to environmental changes that are largely outside our control. 

‘Light plays a key role in how we feel during winter. Increasing light exposure in the morning can help signal to the brain that it is time to wake up and feel more alert. 

‘Using a SAD lamp can be particularly helpful when natural daylight is limited. Spending time outdoors during daylight hours, even briefly, can also support mood and energy.’

A mix of anxiety and depression is estimated to be Britain’s most common mental health problem, affecting about 8 per cent of the population, with a similar rate in the US. 

While it is normal to feel down from time to time, people with depression may feel persistently unhappy for weeks or months on end.

Depression can affect anyone at any age and is fairly common – approximately one in ten people are likely to experience it at some point in their life.

It is a genuine health condition which people cannot just ignore or ‘snap out of’.

Symptoms and effects vary, but can include constantly feeling upset or hopeless, or losing interest in things you used to enjoy.

It can also cause physical symptoms such as problems sleeping, tiredness, having a low appetite or sex drive, and even feeling physical pain.

And in extreme cases, it can lead to suicidal thoughts.

Traumatic events can trigger it and people with a family history may be more at risk.

It is important to see a doctor if you think you or someone you know has depression, as it can be managed with lifestyle changes, therapy or medication.