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:
“I’m desperate for Rishi to see our amazing cave. I’ve got his hard hat ready. We bring 60,000 visitors to the Yorkshire Dales each year and if he can see what we do I think he would agree to help us.
“I don’t think it should be down to the public to help us, but I’m grateful they do. The government should be helping.”
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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:
“Now that we have raised the funds to reopen and secure jobs we need to focus on the essential maintenance and repairs, including the renewal of the caves lighting system.
“It’s a massive blow to us to have to sell another personal possession but we’ve got nowhere else to turn. Unlike other heritage sites, similar to ours, who’ve benefited from funding, we’ve been left to fend for ourselves.
“Over an 18-year period we’ve worked hard to sustain a successful business, but this pandemic and the associated loss of trade has left us fighting for survival.”
She added the caves played a vital role in supporting the wider Dales economy because they boosted tourism to other areas.
Stump Cross Caverns camper van winner namedThe 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.
Stump Cross Caverns reaches £50,000 goalStump Cross Caverns has reached its crowdfunding target of £50,000 — and the popular limestone cave system will reopen in May.
Owner Lisa Bowerman launched the campaign last month by raffling off her prized camper van to raise vital funds.
Lisa told the Stray Ferret launching the crowdfunder had been “the most nerve-racking thing I’ve ever done”. But the response has shown how much the ancient caves, at Greenhow Hill, are loved.
With 15 days to go, the fundraising appeal target has been extended to £60,000.
A draw for the winner of the camper van will take place on March 31 and the caverns will reopen on May 17.
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Lisa said:
“It’s difficult to express just how much we value the staggering reaction we’ve received from the public during our fight to save the caves from closure.
“An unsuccessful application for a government grant from the Cultural Recovery Fund was a massive blow and left us with no other choice but to reach out to the public for support.
“Thanks to their unbelievable generosity we no longer have to worry about what the future has in store. Our small, family-run business will remain open and continue to educate and wow those who experience the splendour of the ancient cave system here at Stump Cross.”
Stump Cross Caverns campaign nears £50,000 goal
A crowdfunding campaign to save Stump Cross Caverns from closure has almost reached its target of £50,000.
Owner Lisa Bowerman launched the campaign last month by raffling off her prized camper van to raise vital funds. At the time of writing it’s on over £45,000 with 18 days still to go.
She said she expects to reach the goal over this weekend which she said will be a “huge relief”.
“We’re gonna smash it!”.
Lisa said launching the crowdfunder has been “the most nerve-racking thing I’ve ever done” but the response has shown how much the popular ancient limestone cave system is loved.
She said the business has missed out on £350,000 over the past 12 months due to covid lockdowns and restrictions. She was delivered a further blow after being refused a covid grant for cultural venues by the government.
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If the crowdfunding campaign is successful, as expected, they plan to reopen for visitors on May 17.
But if the campaign had failed Lisa said she might have closed Stump Cross Caverns down and returned to her previous job as a children’s nurse.
The draw for the camper van is expected to be made on March 31.
Lisa paid tribute to everyone who has donated so far:
Stump Cross Caverns issues plea for survival“Without the support we would have had to close. They’ve saved us.”
The family which owns Stump Cross Caverns near Pateley Bridge is raffling off its prized camper van in an effort to save the business from going under.
Stump Cross Caverns is a popular tourist attraction where visitors can walk around an ancient limestone cave system.
But it’s been hit hard by covid restrictions which have left owners Lisa Bowerman and Nicholas Markham in a precarious financial position.
Lisa took over the business 18 years ago and told the Stray Ferret that 2020 was “shaping up to be our best year yet”.
The couple had just invested £500,000 into the business including a 4k cinema and new cafe.
But covid has meant they have been unable to welcome visitors for much of the last year.
And although they managed to open during summer and autumn, it was with reduced numbers.
Lisa said:
“We’re looking down the barrel of a gun. It’s tough, and there’s a real danger we won’t make it.
“But I’ve put my heart and soul into this business and I cannot just sit and do nothing.”
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The business received a bounce-back loan from the government last year but the money has almost run out.
To fundraise during the first lockdown Lisa and Nicholas took part in an “Everest” challenge which saw them walking the steps to the cave 1000 times — the same distance as climbing Mount Everest twice.
This time they hope to raise £50,000 through raffling off their beloved VW camper van which they say will give the business a fighting chance of survival.
Lisa added:
“We can buy a camper van back but we won’t be able to get our cave back if it’s gone.”
Click here to buy a ticket to be put into a raffle. One ticket costs £10.