A sought-after Felixstowe beach hut has been snapped up for £88,000 - making it the most expensive of its kind in the popular seaside town.
The hut, which is located on Undercliff Road East in Old Felixstowe, was on the market for less than 48 hours before an offer came in £18,000 over the £70,000 asking price.
Take-a-look-at-the-new-Beach-Street-complex-now-open-in-Feli (1)
The hut looks out to the sea on a solid wooden platform, and is close to refreshments and public toilets.
Inside, it measures 7ft 7in by 6ft 10in (2.31m x 2.08m), and was sold fully equipped with items.
The new owner will have to pay £656 to East Suffolk Council upon completion to cover the first year's licence fee.
Ariel Pawlowski, sales and lettings advisor at Diamond Mills and Co in Felixstowe, who sold the hut, said there were "five or six bidders" keen on the chalet.
Suffolk-beaches-empty-at-the-weekend
"We sold one a couple of huts away not that long ago and it generated so much interest that people were bidding before even looking at it," he said.
"So as soon as this one came online, we had five or six bidders who were just ready to go.
"Luckily, a lady came in and said she's been waiting 15 years to buy one in that area because it's the most sought-after area for beach huts in Felixstowe and we spoke with the owners who said: 'That's perfectly fine', and that's where we ended at £88,000.
"They're so rare, they don't come up very often in that area."
Mr Pawlowski said the demand for beach huts has risen sharply, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
"With the pandemic and people unable to go abroad, we've seen a massive spike in interest and sales, and obviously prices go up with that as well," he added.
Last year, a beach hut located at Mudeford Spit in Christchurch Harbour, Dorset, went for £330,000 - making it the most expensive in the UK.
The 12ft by 10ft hut, which has no mains electricity or running water, was sold in July 2020 following an intense bidding war.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here