A group of determined Britons have been queuing for more than 24 hours in the freezing cold and rain to secure a much sought-after beach hut for the summer.
Just 12 cabins were available for summer or all-year rental at Avon Beach in Christchurch, Dorset, and the dedicated staycationers went to extreme lengths to make sure they got their hands on one.
The huts were not available to book until 8am today but staff arrived at the beach shop on Sunday morning at 7.30am to find several people already braving the elements.
Travel restrictions from coronavirus lockdowns has led to a boom in the staycation industry and holiday accommodation in Britain has soared over Christmas and New Year.
Despite the fact most don’t have toilets or running water, the prices for beach huts have soared by 40 per cent in some areas.
In July one hut in Mudeford near Bournemouth in Dorset went for a whopping £320,000 – the same price as a four-bedroom home in Shropshire.
The queue in Dorset grew through the day, with dozens camping out overnight and around 50 people waiting by the time the administration office opened this morning.
Just 12 cabins were available for summer or all-year rental at Avon Beach in Christchurch, Dorset. Pictured: Dedicated holidaymakers queue overnight to be in the running to rent a cabin
Pictured: Margaret Davis and daughter Nicola arrived at 4am this morning and are one of the lucky few who managed to secure a hut
The huts were not available to book until 8am today but staff arrived at the beach shop on Sunday morning at 7.30am to find several people already braving the elements
The mostly 6ft by 4ft huts, which cost £3,570 to rent out for the year, are typically booked up within minutes of opening.
Avon Beach has 130 huts lining the quiet sandy beach, which is popular with dog walkers, tourists and water sport enthusiasts.
Some of the huts change hands privately for as much as £80,000 and have gas-powered fridges and gas hobs inside.
This year, there were 40 huts up for grabs for different periods of the year and just 12 available for the full summer holidays or whole year.
One of the first in the queue was Ken Ryder, 72, and his partner, Jan Manton, 70, who arrived at 4am on Sunday and waited 28 hours.
The queue grew through the day, with dozens camping out overnight and around 50 people waiting by the time the administration office opened this morning
People queue in the early hours of the morning in a desperate attempt to secure one of the sought-after beach huts
The mostly 6ft by 4ft huts, which cost £3,570 to rent out for the year, are typically booked up within minutes of opening
Ken said: ‘This is the 6th year I’ve queued to get a beach hut – we’ve been here for 28 hours.
‘You read books and chat – that’s all you can do to pass the time.
‘Luckily we’re under cover beneath a canopy by the ice cream kiosk – the first dozen or so people get under there but the rest are out in the open.
‘My wife came down from 8am until 10 yesterday morning so I could go and get breakfast, then she came back from 12 until 2pm and I stayed overnight.
‘The reason we retired here was to be close to the beach and having a hut is just the icing on the cake.’
Nicola Davies arrived at 4am this morning and is one of the lucky few who secured a hut.
Some of the huts change hands privately for as much as £80,000 and have gas-powered fridges and gas hobs inside
One of the first in the queue was Ken Ryder, 72, and his partner, Jan Manton, 70, who arrived at 4am on Sunday and waited 28 hours
Beach hut manager Laura Huxtable-White said: ‘They are very sought after, which is why people are willing to queue up for so long’
Avon Beach has 130 huts lining the quiet sandy beach, which is popular with dog walkers, tourists and water sport enthusiasts
The 38-year-old mother of two said: ‘My grandfather made me promise to get one for the whole family but he passed away in November aged 93 so never got to see it happen.
‘He loved to come down and watch his eight great grandchildren play by the sea.
‘It’s such a beautiful and friendly beach which is so clean and the kids feel safe here. It was well worth the wait.’
Beach hut manager Laura Huxtable-White said: ‘They are very sought after, which is why people are willing to queue up for so long.
‘We have tried to be careful and asked people queuing to be mindful of social distancing.
Ken said: ‘This is the 6th year I’ve queued to get a beach hut – we’ve been here for 28 hours. ‘You read books and chat – that’s all you can do to pass the time’
Pictured: People walk along the beach front past the colourful huts at Avon Beach
‘Avon Beach is a beautiful place to be, with lovely views of the Isle of Wight and we have our lovely restaurant, coffee cabin and soon-to-be new deli.
‘With the pandemic and staycations, I think people are even more keen to get one this year.
‘In lockdown last year the phones were extremely busy and yesterday we had a lot of calls from people checking they have the right date.’
Jill Taylor, who owns South View Lodges in Exeter, Devon, said: ‘We have been booked for Christmas and New Year for six months. However, we had a cancellation two weeks ago as the guests were coming from South Africa and we haven’t yet managed to book it.’
Experts said rising UK demand will help plug this gap.
James Starkey, of holidaycottages.co.uk, said: ‘Demand has been really strong over the past few weeks, with a lot of people looking to get away from it all with family and friends over Christmas.
‘We expect this level of demand to continue into 2022 as travel plans may need to be put on hold with the potential of restrictions.’