Is it just me, or do London's streets seem their most miserable on a sleeting Tuesday in March?

As Gilligan's Thurston Howell III so aptly said to his Missus, "Lovey, we've just got to get off this island".

Indeed. And right onto another one, without the nightmare Sleazyjet flight. We at UJ love a minibreak (hint, hint) and The Company Shed on West Mersea Island is the perfect excuse to pile in the Aston Martin.

Quite simply a shack on the beach, the legendary Shed is an all-in-one oyster farm, fishmonger and seafood eatery lovingly run by the family Haward.

You will not eat seafood this fresh or this good anywhere else: crab, oysters, salmon, mussels and more are on offer, and at ridiculously low prices. Hell, you can even bring your own booze and bread.

Island hopping? Cheers, Greece. But Essex is where I'm heading.