Founded in 1990, the Association aims to represent, support and safeguard the interests of its members who own beach huts at Barton-on-Sea, Calshot, Hordle Cliff or Milford-on-Sea. We hope you will find information of use and interest in these pages, whether you are a general enquirer or looking for information in our members’ only section.
The Association’s purpose, set out in its constitution, is to advise, represent, and liaise with New Forest District Council and other authorities on behalf of its members across all matters relating to the ownership of beach huts. Membership is by annual subscription and there are currently over 380 huts whose owners are members. The Association is headed up by a committee of currently 7, though 2 additional members are being sought. Although not a Registered Charity, the Association makes donations to charitable organisations from time to time.
New Year Message from Acting Chairman, Alice Burch
I would like to wish you all a very happy new year and I hope 2021 brings you happiness and safety as we move through the latter stages of this horrible pandemic.
The Association is here to support you with your beach huts during these times. Please feel free to get in contact with your beach area rep or myself (please see details under the Contact tab: The New Forest Beach Hut Owner's Association - NFBHOA (newforestbeachhuts.com)). Also, National Lockdown: Stay at Home guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home. We are hopeful that we will start to get back to meeting and socialising at our loved beach huts in the warmer months.
Please see below some important updates:
* There will be an increase in beach hut licence fees (commencing 1st April). The Association has been working extremely hard with the NFDC to minimise the financial impact and I am pleased to report that they have been brought down from the proposed 10% to an average of 3.8% (£24 inc. VAT). The Council will write formally to each member as to the exact % increase for your hut but this is advance notice of the headline figure increase. None of the Association welcomed any increase naturally but the NFDC have a huge deficit in their budgets so, fortunately, I feel we have limited our exposure in fee increases for us.
* We recognise that we have not yet had our AGM, and plan to hold this in the month of April. I am unsure yet whether this will be our usual face to face meet. If the restrictions do not permit us to, then we will proceed with an online video meeting. You will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance. I am hoping we will have in attendance representatives from the NFDC, local MP and police officer, together with the Association committee members.
* We take crime very seriously and have written to both the local police and MP in relation to reporting and reducing crime. This is an ongoing matter and we will work with all members. Advice on this can be found at: The New Forest Beach Hut Owner's Association - NFBHOA (newforestbeachhuts.com).
* As a reminder, we have introduced a new Beach Hut Sales option on our website. This is a fantastic free facility members can use. Please visit The New Forest Beach Hut Owner's Association - NFBHOA - Hut Sales (newforestbeachhuts.com) for more information.
* You still have time to send in your best photos to enter in the free 2020/21 Photo Competition. Details can be found under the members only section (under Social Events): The New Forest Beach Hut Owner's Association - NFBHOA - Member's Only - Social Events (newforestbeachhuts.com).
* The NFDC have advised us that they have money left (approx. £4,000) in the Annual Maintenance Budget, which needs to be spent by the end of March. The Association is putting together ‘wish lists’ for each beach hut area. As the Association represents its members, please do get in touch asap with any suggestions or comments you may have. This should ideally go directly to your rep but alternatively myself or the another committee member. This budget is not for ‘big ticket’ items, such as beach recharge or CCTV but for small items, for example shower, improvements to wooden stairs, etc. Please send us any suggestions by no later than 5pm, Friday 8 January 2021, after which time I will write to the council with our lists. We will keep you updated on the progress.
Thank you again for being part of the NFBHOA family and the Association hopes to see you all in the near future.
Best wishes and new year greetings.
Kestrel Security Patrols at Barton on Sea
Following the incident of criminal damage and theft which took place at 22 huts at Barton on 2 /3 October 2020, NFDC have reinstated Kestrel Security patrols at the beach.
Announcement
The Committee are delighted to announce that we have appointed a new Association Chairman, Alice Burch. Alice, also an Association Member, joins us with a background in corporate, commercial and marine law as well as owning a beach hut at Hordle Cliff. Alice lives in the New Forest with her two children and enjoys running, triathlon and swimming in the sea.
She was nominated by Hon. Secretary, Jan Wise, seconded by Calshot Rep., Pauline Haden and unanimously agreed by the Committee. She will remain as Acting Chairman until her appointment is officially voted on at the next AGM. We hope you join us in welcoming her to the team.
2020 – 2021 Photographic Competition
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, your Committee has sadly been unable to arrange a social event for members this year. So, we are pleased to announce a new Photographic Competition, open to all current Association members. This year, there will be a theme of Autumn & Winter at the Beach.
Photographs can be accepted until a closing date of 31 January 2021. Full details of the competition, including the rules can be found at: https://www.newforestbeachhuts.com/members-only/social-events
NFDC Contact Phone Number Change
NFDC have advised that from 3 August, you will no longer be able to contact them on 023 80 28 5588. If you have the 5588 number stored anywhere, please delete it to save you misdialling in future. If you call that number you will hear a recorded message to advise that the number is no longer in use.
All the other NFDC telephone numbers remain unchanged and 023 80 28 5000 is the customer services number.
Before telephoning you may wish to save time by visiting the website http://www.newforest.gov.uk where there is information about NFDC's services.
By visiting https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/1162/Contact-us you will also see all NFDC contact options including using a web-chat with the customer services team.
You can email NFDC at customer.services@nfdc.gov.uk
If you call customer services you will hear a list of options. Please listen carefully so you can select the right one for the service you need. Your call will then be automatically put through to the service you want, or you will be connected to customer services.
2019-2020 Income and Expenditure Account
The Income and Expenditure Accounts for 2019-2020 were to have been presented at the 2020 AGM. However, as the AGM has been postponed, the accounts are instead available for Members to view in the Members Only section, by clicking on AGM minutes (current and archive)
New NFBHOA Committee Members Urgently Required
The post of Barton Rep. is vacant, as Lesley Monaghan resigned during 2019. Colin Holdsworth would prefer not to continue as the Milford Rep. and will not stand for re-election if someone else comes forward. The rest of the Committee are willing to stand again, and their statements of intent will be available at the next AGM. We are all volunteers.
If you are interested in being the Barton Rep. or the Milford Rep. please contact Jan Wise for further details: hon.secretary@newforestbeachhuts.com
Any nominations for these committee positions must be received in writing by the Hon. Secretary at least 14 days prior to the date of the AGM and accompanied by the names of the Proposer and Seconder. Prospective nominees will need to be members of the Association.
If you see anti-social behaviour or criminal activity in progress, do not intervene, but call 999.
Report any suspicious behaviour you see, or damage to your hut which you believe may have been caused by criminal activity, to the police on 101.
Be ready to give the postcode for the incident. For Barton on Sea BH25 7DU, Calshot SO45 1BR, Hordle Cliff SO41 0UX and Milford SO41 0PY.
Looking around your neighbours’ huts is invaluable. Please report any damage found to your NFBHOA beach rep. For contact, see: https://www.newforestbeachhuts.com/#contactus
or phone NFDC on 02380 285000, email: coastal.team@nfdc.gov.uk
Outside normal office hours call NFDC’s emergency service on 023 8028 5250. In the unlikely event you are unable to contact NFDC on this number, you can call an emergency mobile number: 07771 259098.
https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/1162/Contact-us
NFBHOA has notice boards at all the beaches with information regarding tides (Calshot does in the summer) and general information which you may find useful in an emergency.
Advice for Beach Hut Owners - Autumn and Winter
Autumn / winter is an interesting time at the beach, but there are fewer people about to look out for problems with huts and weather may cause damage too. So, the first step to keep your hut safe and secure is to make sure that it is in good condition and that it is properly locked-up. If repair work is needed, a list of contractors can be found by visiting our Members Only page (password required) and clicking the link to Beach Hut Repair / Maintenance Contractors:
https://www.newforestbeachhuts.com/members-only/
If you are closing your hut for the winter, please be sure to remove any items of value and all gas bottles.
Under the licence issued to owners by New Forest District Council for beach huts on our 4 beaches, no renting of huts is permitted under any circumstances.
Responsible dog owners and their dogs are welcome on our beaches, but it is advisable to keep dogs on long leads. Please clean up after your dog has fouled.
