Your Leisure vows to help council and private beach hut users with weather damage clear up

Westbrook huts were damaged Photo Andrew Warrilow

The clear up continues today (May 1) after dozens of beach huts were damaged and/or washed out with the tide yesterday during fierce winds.

Huts at Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Westbrook and Minnis Bay were among those to be damaged. Minnis Bay and Westbrook suffered the worst devastation.

Ramsgate Photo by Kim Duffy

In Ramsgate the Thanet community hut was pulled into the water and smashed on the harbour wall. Thanet council, which owns the hut, said staff will see if it can be salvaged. In Broadstairs there were reports of several huts being damaged by high waves.

Westbrook Photo Terrie Kennor

In Minnis Bay more than 20 private huts suffered roof and structure damage as well as being pulled into the water.

Resident Andrew Warrilow has had his Westbrook hut for 15 years. He said: “Some of the huts that had been tied down with chains had broken away. We have had a hut for over 15 years and have never seen anything like it.”

Westbrook Photo Jill Allen

The huts are a mixture of privately owned and council owned huts, managed by Your Leisure.

Westbrook Photo Clair Chapman

A spokesman for Your Leisure said they will be doing their best to help all users to clear and retrieve their huts and already have skips arranged and people onsite starting the work.

Westbrook Photo by Bertie Braidwood

The spokesman added: “We are doing our best to help as many as we can, not just YL hirers but our private hut customers also.

“Our team is currently at Minnis Bay, there is substantial damage on this bay and it is imperative that we endeavour to try and make everything as safe as possible before we even start to consider reinstatement and  replacement of huts.

Westbrook photo Craig Mather

“Great West Autos at Minnis are removing debris and repositioning huts and they will shortly be sent to assist with the private huts at Westbrook where possible.

Westbrook Photo Clair Chapman

“We have arranged 40yrd skips at both Westbrook and Minnis Bay for the clear up process and we are working with Thanet council.

Minnis Bay Photo Jennifer Archer

“They have also sent a crew to Westbrook. We appreciate that some huts at Viking Bay are out of position and will, where possible, try to address this bay once we are sure those other bays that were hit very hard are safe and huts are stable.”