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13
Apr 2021
Stump Cross owners to raffle their £130,000 flat
The owners of Stump Cross Caverns are to raffle their flat in Pateley Bridge to raise more money for the site.
Lisa Bowerman and Nicholas Markham hope to sell 20,000 tickets for £10 each to generate funds to maintain the ancient limestone caves.
The couple. who live on the site of the caves, recently raised £70,000 by raffling their camper van to keep the business open.
But they say more money is needed for essential work — hence the new crowdfunding appeal.
They're also campaigning to get Chancellor Rishi Sunak to visit the caves after previous bids for grants were unsuccessful.
Ms Bowerman said:
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The caves are due to reopen on May 17 and Ms Bowerman said she expected the best year ever.
But she estimated the couple had lost £500,000 over the last year of enforced closure and lack of government support meant further funds were required for essential work, such as renewing the lighting system.
A Save the Caves petition to get Sunak to listen to their plea for help has already received almost 2,500 signatures.
Other heritage organisations, including Kents Cavern, in Torquay, Margate Caves and Creswell Crags in Derbyshire received financial boost from the government's Culture Recovery Fund to help them through the pandemic, said Ms Bowerman.
But Stump Cross Caverns has not received anything.
Ms Bowerman said:
She added the caves played a vital role in supporting the wider Dales economy because they boosted tourism to other areas.
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