Coastal erosion leaves house on the edge
By Maria Fulcher (Eastern Daily Press, 23 December 2003)
A teashop and guesthouse in Happisburgh is under threat after the coast took another battering in weekend storms.
Di Wrightson has been running the business with Jill Morris for the last 23 years, but the storms have left them wondering how much longer their livelihood will survive.
When Miss Wrightson first moved into the house on Beach Road there were properties between her and the sea, but now only a metre separates her rear garage from the waves below.
She said: "We shall continue trading until we are forced to go and we are hoping to open in the new year if we are still here."
However all bookings for the summer at the guesthouse are being refused because the pair cannot guarantee that the property will still be standing.
Miss Wrightson said: "We shall miss it terribly. We are going to lose everything we have worked for and will have to go and rent somewhere, we certainly cannot afford to buy a house."
The Government offers no compensation to people who lose their homes due to coastal erosion and no insurance company will cover such a property.
Around 15 homes and seven caravans have already been lost to the sea along the Happisburgh coastline in the last 11 years.
Miss Wrightson said: "It is not something that comes as a total surprise, but from now on it will be families and businesses that are lost. A lot of the bungalows that have already gone were second homes. "
It is not known how long it will be until the row of four terrace houses which includes the guesthouse, will have to be demolished but their destruction is inevitable.
The guesthouse takes up half of the row, next door is a permanent home for a couple and the last property is a holiday home.
Malcolm Kerby, co-ordinator of the Coastal Concern Action Group, said the village had been battling for years to replace the worn-out wood revetments built in the 1950s.
He said: "Our Government has had over 2000 letters this year asking them to take action which they have ignored completely."
Although forecasters predict calmer conditions are on the way the high tides on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day could spell further destruction for the clifftop homes.
Another householder further along the cliff is determined to stay until he is forced to evacuate.
Norman Cutting, 54, has lived in the village for 22 years and has already had to reduce his three bedroom bungalow to a one-bedroom property because of erosion.
He said: "I cannot walk away and leave everything, I am going to stay here and see what happens."
Peter Frew, head of law and property at North Norfolk District Council, said that in the last two weeks around 10 metres was lost to the east of the village and up to three metres had been lost behind the houses.