Tina Tries ....  Hiring a Beach Hut!

Meet our new reviewer - Woodbridge writer and mum-of-three Tina Powick. Each month Tina will try out something new and family-friendly for Living In ... readers. This summer she tried hiring a beach hut for size  ... and has given it a resounding thumbs up!

“Having had a day at a friend's beach hut last year, my mum and I decided to give the Felixstowe beach hut experience a go. I spent many of my childhood summers sitting outside my gran’s chalet along the sea front and remembered there was a lovely sense of community around the huts and chalets.

On our first outing there were four adults, two pensioners, five small children and three dogs. Our hopes were high as we ventured down Brackenbury Cliffs near the golf course to our little holiday home.

I felt rather foolish when I realised I had no idea what the code was to open the padlocks to the beach hut door having left the number at home in a ‘safe place!’ Thankfully mum wasn’t too far behind us and, by some miracle, had managed to remember the code from the email they’d sent to her.

If you pick up any seaside magazine you’ll see pictures of quirky, creative beach huts and ours didn’t disappoint. A lovely stripy blue and white seaside theme with lots of sunny phrases, sea shells and all the cooking facilities we needed.

After a picnic style lunch the children headed off down the beach to play. The adults set up camp and were able to watch them from a wonderful vantage point. Thankfully the dogs were well received despite barking at nearly everyone that passed! The whole afternoon was rather wonderful. All the local beach hut owners were incredibly friendly and there was a lovely feel of a more relaxed way of life that we don’t get to experience much nowadays.

Happy children, happy dogs and happy parents – who could ask for more! We hired the beach hut from the end of June to August so three months in total. A pretty perfect way to pass the summer!

Our beach hut cost £75 a week and we found it via the website www.beachhuts4hire.co.uk"

* Have you got something family-friendly which Tina can review for us? Drop her a line at: info@livinginwoodbridge.co.uk