Beach huts are a common site along the prom or beach of British seaside resorts. They are usually the same design, maybe painted or decorated in different colours or customised, but generally they all look the same. They are quite small, enough room for a small family to sit round a small table if the weather is inclement, having a cup of tea, eating sandwiches or playing cards or board games. They are useful to change into bathing costumes, to shelter from the elements whether it is the sun beaming down, or the rain pouring down.
Most beach huts are owned by the town council, but same are owned privately; if ever they come up for sale they can command surprising prices! There is always a waiting list to rent the council-owned huts, and I think some tenancies can pass to other members of a family. Seaside holidays started in the early 1800’s and in those days people would hire bathing machines – a hut on wheels which would be drawn by a horse into the sea so the occupants could decorously descend into the sea to bathe.
Friends had a beach hut at Frinton-on-Sea when I was young and we would go and spend summer days there… unfortunately it was usually cold and raining on the days we decided to visit… since then cold summer days are known in our family as ‘Frinton Weather’!
http://www.beach-huts.com/history-of-beach-huts.php
Lois Elsden 