BEACH huts on the north Essex coast could be spruced up under new plans being formulated by owner groups.

Representatives from five beach hut associations covering Brightlingsea, Clacton and Holland, Dovercourt, Frinton, and Walton met with officials from Tendring District Council earlier this week to discuss ways that areas where beach huts stand can be improved.

Issues discussed included painting huts in brighter colours, installing CCTV cameras on breach front locations and tighter regulations on unstable verandas and stairs attached to huts.

This is the first time for several years that all the associations have got together around the table with the council. It is hoped it might be the start of a regular six-monthly meeting between the groups, who in total represent the owners of 3,000 huts across the area.

Chairman of the Association of Frinton Beach Hut Owners, Pete Dias, said there was general agreement that owners should be encouraged to paint their huts in brighter colours.

He said: “For years huts were painted in old greens and browns but there are a lot of attractive weatherproof pastel colours available now - such as sea holly blue – which can look really good and can brighten up beach huts.

“Rather than ask people to paint their old huts, we envisage owners using these new colours when they are replacing their huts and erecting a new one.

“The council is keen to see more bright colours as a way of attracting tourists to the area.”

According to Linda Jacobs, chairman of the Clacton and Holland Beach Hut Association, there was also a discussion around the council sharing the cost of installing CCTV cameras near beach huts.

She said: “CCTV cameras are much more affordable now and would improve security for beach hut owners and people living in the area. The council said it would make a contribution to the cost of the cameras and help to find power supplies we can plug into.”