The average value of a beach hut soared by 100.5% in some areas of the UK last year. Beach huts seemed to have gone the way of donkey rides, Punch and Judy and kiss-me-quick hats – but a new generation is now discovering their delights, says a leading expert.
Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, 2024-Jul-19 — /Travel PR News/ — Many people believed the explosion of overseas package holidays in the 1970s would spell a sad, lingering end for the traditional British beach hut. However, like flairs, corduroy trousers and big collars, beach huts are making a comeback – perfect for staycationers, holidaymakers on a budget and people wanting a real break after a disastrous holiday abroad.
Lily Smith, a travel and holiday expert from the specialist booking service BeachHuts.com, says: ‘For years, the traditional beach hut seemed as much a part of a lost seaside holiday era as end-of-the-pier shows and Punch and Judy, but BeachHuts.com’s latest research has revealed huts and chalets are now soaring in popularity as the sunbather’s equivalent to glamping.
‘Where else can people be right on the beach but able to change in privacy, store their stuff, eat sandwiches minus the sand, chill a few cheeky Pinots and relax with a paperback or their Switch?
‘For years, many beach huts seemed to be standing empty and peeling, with sand building up to their windows. Today, however, most have been restored to their former glory as Brits realise the amazing value they represent.
‘Our latest analysis reveals beach huts soured in value by 100.5% between 2022 and 2023 in some coastal areas, costing a hefty £123,524 on average. Yet holidaymakers can book a week in a hut in, for example, Dorset’s beautiful Branksome Chine from as little as £49 a day this month. That’s amazing value.
‘It’s not only today’s sixty-somethings, nostalgic for their 1970’s childhoods, who are rediscovering the Great British Beach Hut. Our research has revealed the average age of beach hut users has plummeted in recent years, as increasing numbers of young people realise the attractions of a home-from-home by the sea.
‘Events such as beach hut picnics, complete with balloons and cushions to match the colour of the hut, are some of the new beach hut experiences trending with kids and young adults alike.
‘Beach huts are also increasingly popular as a second, truly relaxing holiday. People frustrated with their foreign holiday, with passport queues, delayed flights, lost luggage, Customs strikes and tummy upsets, often find themselves in need of a second, genuine holiday. Relaxing by the sea, sipping tea or something stronger and colder, walking the dog and occasionally sheltering in cosy comfort from the traditional British rain is actually the real holiday many families were all craving.
‘From the sands of Sandbanks in Dorset and Sandown on the Isle of Wight, to being right next to the sea in Wells Next the Sea in Norfolk, BeachHuts.com has been the UK’s No1 beach hut booking website since 2005. It’s true to say, however, that it’s never experienced the surge in demand seen in the last few years.
‘Many people now find themselves returning to the same hut several summers in a row to recharge their batteries or enjoy more active seaside experiences, from Bournemouth Pier’s zip wires to water skiing and surfing. With huts available from as little as £20 a day and the increasing availability of overnight hires, they are now seen as glamping by the sea.
‘For more information about the huge range of beach hut locations available across the UK, see https://www.beachhuts.com/beach-huts-for-rent-by-area.html