In this episode, Natalie welcomes Alan Elsey, a beach hut owner from Hove, East Sussex. Alan shares his journey of discovering the charm of beach huts after moving from London and how his initial scepticism transformed into a passion for beach hut ownership. Alan discusses the unique features of his award-winning beach hut, including a bar and creative design elements, and reflects on the vibrant community spirit in Hove, especially during festive events like the Christmas open day. Alan shares anecdotes about social gatherings, and his most favourite memorable experiences.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Alan's appreciation for beach huts developed after socialising at friends' beach huts, leading him to buy his own in Hove after the first lockdown.

• Alan's beach hut is designed for socialising and features a bar, a dining table, and unique decor elements like a candelabra and a mirror ball, making it a lively gathering spot.

• The Beach Hut Association in Hove fosters a strong sense of community among beach hut owners, organising events like summer open days and Christmas celebrations that bring people together.

• Hove's beach huts are decorated for Christmas, with events that attract visitors from nearby areas. Alan has participated in these festivities, creating memorable experiences with friends and family.

• Potential beach hut owners should be aware of the costs involved in ownership, including ground rent, insurance, and maintenance. Alan advises potential buyers to act quickly when opportunities arise, as beach huts are often in high demand.

LINKS

If you want to know about Alans portable record player:

GPO Ambassador Stand-Alone Bluetooth Turntable Record Player with Built-in Speakers, Suitcase Record Player to Record MP3 with RCA Connection, Green and Black : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

 If you want to know more about Hove:

Hove - Town in Hove, Brighton and Hove - Visit South East England

BEST MOMENTS

"I thought, why do you need them? You could just sit on the beach. But then two friends of ours had a beach hut... and suddenly, I thought, oh, I get it now."

"I built a bar in the beach hut, which is very popular... initially people were surprised I wanted to change the design, but completely understand now they have seen it because it's tremendous fun."

"I think we should find a way for everybody to experience a beach hut for at least 10 minutes. I think the whole world would be converted."

"I entered a competition for a beach hut design and actually came third in the country... I think it was my ingenious storage solutions that swung it."

"We were at the beach hut lots in the summer, till midnight with candles burning... there was a full red moon one night. We all went swimming at midnight with music playing."

HOST BIO

My name is Natalie Young. I bought a beach hut to bring joy into my life after escaping an abusive relationship and a difficult divorce.  Based in Christchurch, Dorset, my beach hut is affectionally called the Salty Seagull and is located on Friars Cliff beach with sea views to the Needles on the Isle of White. It is my slice of heaven. 

Owning and hiring a beach hut is more complicated than I realised and I am on a constant mission to discover the best ways to manage and care for your hut. I have researched the pros and cons of renting and the best ways to market and host.

The beach, the sights and the sounds of the sea bring me huge joy. I hope this podcast will bring you smiles, laughter and joy too!

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We will be chatting with special guests from estate agents to lock specialists, beach hut associations to beach hut builders, and artists to interior designers. 

If you don’t know what all the fuss is about, join us every week and you too will become a little bit Bonkers Bbout Beach Huts.