We’ve all posed with or just admired the famously colourful Whitby Beach Huts. They are such an iconic part of this wonderful seaside town. What’s their history? and can you hire them? Let us tell you more…
I just love walking alongside the Whitby beach huts with the North Sea crashing beside me. They remind me of my childhood spending long days enjoying the seaside with family. But, what is the history of these beach huts? and can you hire them? Let us tell you more…
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A brief history of the Seaside Beach Huts in Whitby
Let’s travel back in time to the 19th century and imagine we’re at the beach and we want to take a quick dip in the sea to cool off. You couldn’t just toss aside your dry robe and run into the water like today. To stay modest you would probably use a bathing machine. A bathing machine was quite simply a smaller beach hut but on wheels. You could hire them just like the beach huts we see today. You would position your beach hut on the beach, get in and get changed. The beach hut would then be pulled into the water by a horse where you would get out and enjoy your swim!
It wasn’t until Edwardian times that the beach hut became more as we see it today, they started popping up along the beaches of the UK. They became more and more popular as people started to head back to the beaches for holidays after WW2. By 1950 the beach hut was a fashionable accessory.
Today we are seeing a rise in staycations and people visiting UK beaches, therefore these beach huts are once again proving hugely popular.
Whitby’s Beach Huts
West Cliff Beach in Whitby is lined with pretty, colourful beach huts. They are extremely popular and get booked up very quickly, demand is high. They offer shelter from the wind or sun on very hot days. Lots of people use them to store their belongings, change into swimwear, prepare a lunch or snacks or just relax and read with the sound of the sea beside them.
The beach huts can be hired weekly, annually, seasonally, and just for winter. In some rare cases, there are daily lets too. You can find more information and prices here.
Do you own or have you ever rented one of the beach huts in Whitby? Or maybe like us you just love walking past them and taking photos of the bright colours against the North Sea. Let us know in the comments.
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