Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Beach huts enter the plastic age

Charles Oulton
Monday 17 August 1992 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

THEY CALLED it bathing, but we prefer swimming. While they donned substantial one-piece bathing costumes as family and friends looked the other way, we favour skimpier numbers. The Victorians would not be amused.

So it is just as well they are not around in Torbay today. The local council has become the first in the country to replace the white wooden beach huts of the sepia prints with plastic ones.

So far, 10 of 100 wooden huts on the English Riviera's six beaches have gone the way of other traditional seaside attractions like the end-of-pier show. As pizzas and chips have taken over from cockles and whelks, this easy-to-clean, easy-to-remove-during-winter hut has taken over from the traditional wooden construction.

Chris Brooks, secretary of Devon Buildings and national vice-chairman of the Victorian Society is aghast at the change. 'This is just another instance of the extent to which the character and architectural historical character is simply being thrown away and replaced by what are frankly rather tacky modern substitutes. A nice set of beach huts is something any Victorian seaside resort would have been proud of.'

But Derek Mills, leisure manager for Torbay Borough Council, which bought the new huts in an attempt to lower maintenance costs, says swimmers like the new huts. 'Every time someone hires one out we ask them what they think of it and we are getting a favourable response.'

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in