I tried to find at least one local who was rude. Or sad. Or cocky, even. Alas, Aalborgians – from postgrads to retirees – are invariably affable. It’s odd, really: 20 years ago Aalborg was still a dump of sailor-style vice and violence, suffering from the decline of various grubby industries.

“When I was kid, people were scared to come here – it was rough,” says Kenneth Pinkser, my smiley trucker-capped guide. “Having a Copenhagen accent would get you beaten up!”

Back then, all of Denmark’s schnapps was produced here, which, along with Jomfru Ane Gade – “Denmark’s longest bar street” – was the only reason to visit. “But I’m going to tell you the story of our transformation,” says Pinsker, proudly.