'Proper boozer' to be sold via raffle
The Park View pub has been propertied by Linda McNamara and her husband Paul for two decades, however, after deciding to retire from the industry, the couple opted to sell the free house through a one-off raffle.
Linda said: “It’s really tough for us and a hard decision but we are ready to retire from running the pub.
“It has literally been our life for nearly 20 years. The customers are like our family and as tough as it is, it is time for a new chapter in our lives and for the pub to get a new lease of life through a new set of eyes.”
Fighting chance
There are 8,000 raffle tickets available which can be purchased for £100 each and the draw closes in September this year.
The winner will receive the three-storey building, which also has guest accommodation, and associated freehold plus all the fixtures and fittings valued at £305,000 along with £20,000 in cash as part of the prize.
While Linda and Paul would like to see the Park View continue to serve the local community, there are no restrictions as to what the new owner can do with the site.
Paul said: “The first tickets have been sold and regulars are snapping them up. Running the raffle gives The Park View a fighting chance of continuing to operate as the proper boozer it is.”
Save lives
The McNamara's also pledged to support The Oliver King foundation with a £40,000 donation from the raffle to support the charity in their work to improve defibrillator accessibility across the UK and campaign to secure government legislation to make defibrillators mandatory in all schools.
Mark King from The Oliver King Foundation said: "Raffling the pub is such a novel way to market the Park View and raise funds for charity at the same time.
“We need to sell all these tickets so we can buy more defibrillators and install them into public buildings and save more lives.
“If there was a defibrillator at the pool side on March 11, 2011, my Oliver would still be here today.”
To find out more and buy raffle tickets visit ownapub.com.
