Beach huts on East Anglian coast selling for more than the price of a house
Watch a video report by ITV News Anglia's Victoria Lampard
A rise in the popularity of homegrown holidays has driven up prices for seaside beach huts, say agents - with some going for more than a quarter of a million pounds.
ITV News Anglia has learned of one beach hut in Southwold in Suffolk which has changed hands for more than £300,000 - allowing its seller to buy another house with the proceeds.
And even in areas where price tags are not as sky-high, demand has pushed up the going rate, with the property website Rightmove reporting a rise in the past year of 28% - adding £10,000 to the average asking price.
When Shirley Perry bought her beach hut in Walton-on-the-Naze, the going rate was around £1,500 - but three decades later she says she could sell the beach hut for at least 30 times that figure.
"It is always friendly along here because we all watched the children grow up," she said.
"Lots of them were only two or three years old. Now they're 30 and have got their own families so they bring them down."
The beach hut next to Mrs Perry's is currently on the market for £45,000.
The demand locally is continuing to increase with the revival of the British seaside holiday brought on by the pandemic, say agents.
"We've seen prices in Frinton, by the tennis club, go up to the £70,000-£80,000 region," said Ollie Palmer from Sheens Estate Agents.
"Down in Walton it's not quite as popular but we're still seeing the spikes of up to £50,000 or 60,000. We recently sold one down here for £50,000, as well."
However, the rising prices have raised concerns among some, who argue that they are another sign of second-home owners driving up prices for locals.
In Southwold in Suffolk, recent figures showed that six in 10 properties were used as second homes or for holiday lettings, prompting East Suffolk Council to introduce new restrictions that any new homes built must be the owner's main residence.
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