SOUTHWOLD BEACH HUT RECEIVES £175,000 OFFER DESPITE COASTAL PRICE FALLS

A beach hut in Southwold, Suffolk, has received an offer of £175,000, according to estate agents Winkworth. The property measures 107 square feet and contains no electricity or plumbing. The hut occupies what agents describe as a prime position along the town's promenade and has undergone extensive renovation work, including replacement of rotted timbers and renewed flooring.

Research by online estate agent Yopa, which examined prices across eight of the UK's most sought-after coastal counties, recorded that asking prices have dropped by 9.8 per cent over the past year. The decline has been attributed to a shift in lifestyle spending patterns following the surge in staycation demand during the pandemic. However, Suffolk bucked this trend, with beach hut asking prices rising by 6.6 per cent annually. Dorset similarly recorded growth of 2.8 per cent, with four timber cabins at Mudeford Sandbank in Christchurch fetching in excess of £1 million earlier this year.

Southwold is recognised as a quintessentially British seaside town, celebrated for its collection of beach huts and operational lighthouse. The town's pier, built in 1900, has survived storm damage and wartime concerns during the Second World War. The Southwold hut is described by agents as boasting spectacular views across the sandy shoreline and featuring a traditional twin-door frontage that opens to create a sheltered seating area.