A beach hut in the upmarket seaside town of Southwold has gone on the market for £250,000 - more than it costs to buy a house in some other parts of Suffolk.

The hut, called 'Here's Hoping' and measuring 3.2 metres wide, is in a prime position on the promenade.

It only went on the market last week – but the agents believe it will sell quickly and say there has already been plenty of interest.

For comparison, £250,000 will today also buy two terraced two-bed properties in Lowestoft just 10 miles away.

Selling agents Flicks are confident the quarter-of-a-million price will be achieved – especially since the Covid experience led to a surge of interest in stay-at-home vacations in Britain.

Southwold remains a highly-desirable destination, known for its beautiful beach, pier, Adnams brewery and iconic lighthouse.

A spokeswoman predicted: ”It will go very quickly – there is a high demand and we expect there will be a bidding war in the end.”

The particulars state: "A veranda overlooks the wide promenade, beach and sea. Situated a few paces from the Nelson steps and Suzie’s beach cafe. Glazed double folding doors open to the hut within which there are a number of storage cupboards."

There are only 300 huts on the prom facing the North Sea and many of them have been in the same family for generations.

If it reaches its guide price, it could become the most expensive hut ever sold in Southwold. Three years ago, a hut hit the headlines when it went on the market for £150,000. However, in Dorset, some have hit the market for more than £500,000.

The huts are spartan – there is no electricity or running water – and users are not allowed to stay in them overnight.

Some owners rent their huts out in the summer – charging more than £600 a week. It is understood there is interest in the hut from second home-owners in the town who want to add the hut to their offer.

More than half the properties in the town are second homes and the full-time population is now below 1,000, putting extra strain on local services.

Earlier this year, plans were unveiled to stem the number of second homes in the town.

The Southwold Neighbourhood Plan sets out a vision for development until 2036. It concentrates on rebuilding the permanent population by restricting the number of second homes built in the future and making more affordable housing possible for local people