The draw to win a VW Campervan worth £47,000 has been made to culminate the successful campaign to save Stump Cross Caverns.
The Stray Ferret broke the news last month that Lisa Bowerman and Nicholas Markham, who own the limestone caves near Pateley Bridge, were raffling their van to raise money to keep the place open.
Tickets for the raffle cost £10.
They set an original crowdfunding target of £50,000 but generated £72,500 in 40 days.
The extra money will enable the site’s 3D virtual tour to be upgraded, which the couple hope will be popular with schools.
A person called Chris Riley won the camper van star prize in tonight’s draw. It is not yet known where the winner is from.
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Ms Bowerman said she had been overwhelmed by support. She said:
“Without you we couldn’t have been able to reopen the doors to the 60,000 visitors we get.”
Stump Cross Caverns has been open to visitors since 1863.
But its failure to secure a covid grant from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund threatened its future.
However, the Save the Caves campaign means it now hopes to reopen in May.
