I’ve been asked a question about beach huts. What are they used for? It’s an English obsession! I guess beach huts do exist in other parts of the world, but I bet they started out here! The beach hut started out as a ‘bathing machine’, a kind of beach hut on wheels, in which the bather would change into a swimming costume and then a horse would draw the machine delivering the bather straight into the sea! Have a look at this page for more information.
Since WW2, the humble beach hut has become very popular. They exist all round the UK’s beaches. The hut is used for storing all the accoutrements one might require for a day on the beach. On bright summer days you can see occupants sitting outside their huts, doors flung open, sitting on deck chairs at collapsible tables, partaking in a cup of tea brewed on a little stove, maybe cooking on a portable barbeque. Some beach huts are quite works of art inside, in fact, there are some artists who exhibit in some stone built huts over in east Worthing. They are locked up at night so people leave their things in them permanently. You can either buy one or rent one, these days for the price we paid for our first house!
Here’s my friends Pam and Lorraine sitting outside Pam’s beach hut last summer. Pam cooked us a lovely lunch of soup and bread bought along to the beach and heated through on her portable stove. As you can see it was a bit breezy this particular day! We tried to put up an umbrella but it kept blowing over. A great illustration of another British obsession, sitting on the beach pretending the weather is sunny when in reality it is wet and windy!
Our local council stipulates that the beach huts have to be white, although I have noticed that owners are beginning to paint the gables with colour. But in other parts of the UK the huts themselves are colourful.
Here’s some favourite photos of beach huts that we have visited in other parts of the UK:
8 comments:
Ooo I recognise some of them. Some are at Shoreham, and I think the really bright ones are at Seaford aren't they? Have you seen the blue and yellow ones in Littlehampton? I would LOVE a Beach hut. THere are some great ones at Wells-Next-The-Sea in Norfolk too.
What fab photos - I love beach huts!
Sue x
I love beach huts too and our local ones are all painted in pastel colours and look beautiful.
Afraid not Tash! Only the white ones at the bottom are local, the rest are Norfolk, Scarborough (the very bright ones:))The blue and pink ones are Great Yarmouth!
I'm a fan of beach huts too - I'd love one! Your photo-collection is just lovely and would make a great print on a wall.:)
Thank you so much for your explanation!!! I've never seen any here in my part of the world.
Love these photos Linda, and I have to admit I thought beach huts were just for changing in! How fun to own one and be able to deck it all out inside!
I have now been enlightened! Thanks for posting that, Linda. I have seen so many photos of beach huts on the web and when I was reading your post from yesterday suddenly I realized I had no idea what they were used for as they always look abandoned in the photos I've seen. Now I know everything I need to know. My next step is to see one for myself. I have always wanted to visit the English seaside in the south. I've been to Blackpool, but it is my understanding that that doesn't count? : )
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