Two council-run services that you can be certain will have waiting lists as long as your arm (and your leg!) are allotments and beach huts. In some places, people have been known to have their name down for 5 years or more, just to have somewhere to grow flowers and fruit & veg.

I remember signing up for one of the beach huts on Brighton seafront when I used to live down there. That would have been at least 25 years ago – I wonder if I’m nearing the top yet!

Just like regular properties, beach huts can vary hugely in value depending on… location, location, location. As well as the purchase price, don’t forget the ‘extras’ like licence fee, renovation fee, ground rent, solicitor’s fees and insurance. Added to all the financials, there may be all sorts of codes, rules and regulations to which you’ll need to adhere; specific colours you’re allowed to paint the exterior, the right to sleep in it overnight or not, the permission (or lack of therein) to sub-let, the stipulation that you need to be a local resident… many hoops to jump through and many boxes to tick!

Some huts have electricity (even solar-powered), some don’t. Many are located right on the beach and have uninterrupted views of the sea, others are set out in ‘tiers’, so you may have rows of huts in front of you allowing you barely a chink of blue to be seen. Some have steps up to the door, others have a front deck or verandah. Still others are multi-storey, with three floors of living space.

£17,500 – Puckpool Park, Seaview PO34

Situated in the seaside Victorian town of Ryde, this is a wonderful and rare opportunity to purchase a traditional wooden beach hut situated overlooking the award-winning expansive sandy beaches of Appley & Puckpool. Appley and Puckpool beaches are located towards the eastern end of Ryde’s famous long stretch of fine golden sand, and are regarded as being one of the nicest and most popular stretches of beaches on the Island.

£80,000 – Beach Hut 3, The Beach, Wells-Next-The-Sea

Number 3 is a superb beach hut conveniently located only a few minutes walk from the beach car park to the west of the Coast watch Tower and the Lifeboat Station with fine views across the sea towards the East Hills. The hut is of painted timber construction with a timber door. To the front a verandah with wide steps leading down onto the sand. Inside there is a fitted base cupboard with a laminate worktop and bench seating.
A water tap for drinking and cooking use is close by as is the beach lavatory block with a path from the pinewoods behind the beach making access to the hut with the day’s provisions easier than across the sand. The site is sold under an annual Licence Agreement through Holkham Holiday Parks Limited trading as Pinewoods and may be used for rest, recreation and bathing but not for overnight stays. The Licence is reviewed annually and full details of the Agreement are available for inspection at Belton Duffey’s office. A commission is payable by the purchaser to Pinewoods on completion of sale of 15% of the sale price (plus VAT) but this is included in the guide price.

£250,000 – Porth Mawr, Abersoch, Gwynedd LL53

To be sold by “informal tender” with offers to be submitted in writing for the vendors consideration by 12PM on Friday 30th June 2023.
A rare opportunity to acquire a freehold double unit Bathing Hut being one of the largest on the much sought after Abersoch Main Beach, closer to the Yacht Club end and a couple hundred yards from the Beach Café and Sailing School.
The present owner acquired the site some years ago and replaced the original hut with a modern steel framed construction, measuring a total 8m x 3m externally with two separate roller shutter entry doors. To the interior the hut has timber panelled walls and a wooden floor and two mezzanine storage space. Behind the outer shutter doors there are 2 sets of double glazed doors. The unit could be sub divided if required by erecting an internal party dividing wall. The hut is subject to Council Tax rates, for 2023 /24 the rates payable are £722.
A great family location to relax and play on these golden sands and to take in the wonderful views across Cardigan Bay to the St Tudwals Islands with the backdrop of the Cambrian Mountain Range.