Frinton and Walton beach hut owners argue with Tendring council about rental

Many of the originally Edwardian huts have been refurbished, modified and leased out for as high as £420 a week during peak season.

And despite Tendring Council encouraging owners to repaint their huts, abandoning the dreary brown colour, extensions have been carried without council permission... in violation of their current hut licenses.

The council sent letters to 3,200 owners stating an upcoming review will "address those beach hut adaptations which fall outside of the existing specification and licence conditions".

• Read more: Tendring Council to clamp down on beach hut owners

Peter Diaz, chairman of the Association of Frinton Beach Hut owners, supported the standardisation of the huts.

He said: “Each year, the council sends out letters saying no additions to beach hut. But it doesn’t stop anything.

"I had a complaint from a gentleman who said he comes down to the beach hut for rest and recuperation, to enjoy the views and his time by the sea. In recent years, he’s been sandwiched between two decking structures.

"He says he has no view and no privacy now and feels like he can't come and enjoy the beach anymore. These extensions have ruined lives.”

But an owner of a beach hut rental business along the north Essex coast said: “The entrepreneurs that bring tourist benefits should be awarded.

"A lot of the companies are run by local women, not by rich people. Shouldn’t we encourage small businesses run by women to make money?

“A lot of the companies give free beach hut days away to charity raffles, people have some really special reasons to hire one out – why stop it?

"Terminally ill people, 80-year-olds, and many others need the amenities – they don’t want to own a hut, just the flexibility to enjoy the beach for the day.”