7:00am Thursday 8th October 2009
By Sarah Hilley
THE ODDS are better than the lottery at 48,000 to one — but the lucky winner will claim a £850,000 hotel in Chiseldon.
Instead of putting their 16-bedroom property on the market, the owners of the Landmark Hotel are holding a raffle.
Owners Margaret and Malcolm Pearson, who are on the verge of retiring, have decided to put their hotel up as a prize in a competition to beat the credit crunch.
Margaret said: “With the current market climate, we thought the competition would be a fun way to sell the hotel. We love the thought of someone having the life-changing opportunity of winning this amazing investment property.”
Tickets cost £25 and 264 have already been sold since the competition launched on Tuesday. Winners will also receive a £50,000 annual income generated from a lease on the hotel.
The draw will take place on October 31, 2010 but if not enough tickets are sold to make up the market value, a winner will still receive money raised.
However the couple would be entitled to retain up to 35 per cent of entry fees to cover administration and marketing expenses. They would then have to put the property on the market.
Margaret said: “So many people talk of winning the lottery and what they would do with the money, this competition gives entrants a much better odds of winning a £850,000 hotel.
“It also gives them the chance to instantly have an annual income of £50,000. We thought this would be a fun way to make that happen for someone.’’ The couple, who are directors of the hotel, have owned the property since it was built in 1979. They converted and refurbished the building into a hotel in 2000.
Margaret said: “We took a backward step and decided to lease the hotel out three years ago. We now want to take the next step towards our retirement and let someone else have the fantastic opportunity to own this successful hotel.”
You can enter as many times as you like. Visit www.winahotel.co.uk.
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