It is that time of year when Bournemouth council, or more accurately BCP Council now ( Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole ) tells us by how much our beach hut rent has gone up, with various explanations as to why. We were on the waiting list for six years and I guess most beach hut people will pay up rather than lose the six foot by six foot piece of concrete they rent. It’s best not to calculate the cost per minute of sitting in the sun, making a cup of tea or having your own private changing room. There are people who go every day, but most of us have other things to do, places to go and gardens looking accusingly at us. I had not visited since last year, though I have walked past to make sure it was still there. The council does not own our huts and how ever much we have paid, the hut is worth nothing if you can’t unlock it. Weather and salty air play havoc with padlocks, whether they have keys or a combination lock and pulling the shackle out can be as impossible as pulling Excalibur from the stone if you are not the future King Arthur.
Luckily I brought WD 40 from home. I have never known what WD 40 is actually made of, but I love the scent and apparently WD and duct tape are all you need to solve most DIY problems. There is a can of WD 40 in the beach hut, but that is not much use if you can’t get in… I used a lot of WD 40 and had to resort to going away to wash half a can of it off my hands then sneaking back, when the second padlock wasn’t looking, to open it.
When you walk down here it feels like being on holiday.
When you see your patch of sea you know it was worth the money and the struggles with the padlocks.
As the padlocks soak up WD 40 and you soak up the winter sun and eat your sandwiches you know it was worth it.
Then after two bites of your sandwich the weather changes, your tea gets cold and you wonder if your friends will regret saying they would ‘pop in’ for a cup of tea. This is why you keep blankets at the beach hut…
…but the sun will probably come out again before it goes down.
Times and Tides of a Beachwriter 
Re your lock issue, these articles are probably worth a read.
https://www.pbo.co.uk/gear/12-padlocks-tested-24620
https://antitheftboss.com/best-weatherproof-padlock-reviews/
Looks like the ABUS brand comes out best but they’re not cheap.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Doug, yes we have had a variety of locks over the years.
LikeLike
Beach huts do have some advantages! But in a way they’re sort of like boats, which are often an underused expense and subject to weather.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Yes Audrey how true. I’m sure most of the boats on our river never move. Like boats we check the weather before setting out for the beach hut, but it’s not quite such a risk if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So you’re saying you don’t think the police will buy the old, “I was just breaking into the beach hut to get some WD 40” excuse.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha, yes officer I always carry a jemmy to the beach.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The perfect location… I could do a lot of writing there…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Jaye and Anita it is perfect for writing, I have a stack of paper there.
LikeLike
I love the idea of a beach hut but live too far from anywhere that has them. Which is probably good because I am not sure I could justify the expense!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes I like to think it’s cheaper than going on a cruise, not that I am likely to go on one, maybe not so luxurious!
quite a few family and friends got good use of it last summer.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The idea of being able to share it with family and friends appeals to me.I have never fancied a cruise!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I see people lugging stuff from far-distant car parks, or spending ages re-painting their huts because of weather erosion, the magic of sitting in one seems less appealing.
I swear by WD40 though, and couldn’t open my up-and-over garage door without it!
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes Pete, I do sometimes feel like I have been on an expedition as it is a brisk 20 minute walk form my house to the beach hut. However, having a beach hut is a lot less hassle then taking all your beach and swimming stuff each time! some beach huts look like they have not been painted for decades, while others have designer interiors – those owners probably enjoy doing the decor more than sitting in it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love the idea of one, preferably on a completely deserted beach somewhere remote.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Mick, good idea. If every one turns up at their beach hut neighbours are very close.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When a problem requires more than WD40 and/or duct tape, it is by definition beyond my expertise!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Geoff and for most of us.
LikeLiked by 1 person