In this episode, Natalie interviews Jo Lowery from Cool Coastal Huts, who shares her journey of owning and renting out luxury beach huts. Jo's passion for beach huts began when she purchased her first hut in Frinton 18 years ago. The episode delves into Jo's experience of refurbishing beach huts, her appearance on George Clark's Amazing Spaces, and the process of setting up a beach hut rental business. Jo provides insights on beach hut etiquette, design tips for creating a modern and luxurious beach hut, and the costs involved in building a beach hut from scratch.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Jo Lowery started her beach hut journey 18 years ago and now owns five beach huts, each with a unique design and contemporary feel.

• She got into beach huts after falling in love with them during a family trip to the beach and decided to buy one, leading to her passion for beach huts.

• Jo's beach huts are designed with a modern and luxurious touch, focusing on minimal clutter and hidden storage to create a comfortable and stylish space.

• Setting up a beach hut rental business involves checking with the council for licenses, using social media or booking platforms for marketing, and determining pricing based on location and hut amenities.

• Jo's beach huts in Frinton and Mersea offer different seaside experiences, with Frinton being a traditional quiet resort and Mersea having a more adventurous, island-like feel.

BEST MOMENTS

"I've now got five beach huts. So I've got a bit of a beach hut collecting problem."

"I like to keep mine affordable. But mine are, I like to think, you know, higher end ones. And so mine are £90 in the summer."

"I've had a few people trying to get into the wrong hut and occasionally turning up on the wrong day."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.coolcoastalhuts.co.uk

HOST BIO

My name is Natalie Young. I bought a beach hut to bring joy into my life after escaping an abusive relationship and a difficult divorce. Based in Christchurch, Dorset, my beach hut is affectionally called the Salty Seagull and is located on Friars Cliff beach with sea views to the Needles on the Isle of White. It is my slice of heaven.

Owning and hiring a beach hut is more complicated than I realised and I am on a constant mission to discover the best ways to manage and care for your hut. I have researched the pros and cons of renting and the best ways to market and host.

The beach, the sights and the sounds of the sea bring me huge joy. I hope this podcast will bring you smiles, laughter and joy too!

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PODCAST DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the Bonkers about Beach Huts podcast, the show that's all about beach huts!

Whether you are thinking of buying a beach hut and don’t know where to begin or if you have had a beach hut in your family for generations this podcast is for you.

As I travel across the UK exploring these coastal retreats and sharing personal stories of how the humble beach hut has shaped lives, I will also be creating the UK's first beach hut map. I will give tips on where and how to buy a beach hut. And share everything you need to know about beach hut maintenance plus advice on hiring a beach hut.

We will be chatting with special guests from estate agents to lock specialists, beach hut associations to beach hut builders, and artists to interior designers.

If you don’t know what all the fuss is about, join us every week and you too will become a little bit Bonkers Bbout Beach Huts.