Dutchman wins Welsh bookshop in raffle draw

Dutchman Ceisjan Van Heerden has won a bookshop in Cardigan, west Wales, in a raffle draw, according to the BBC.

Paul Morris (pictured with Van Heerden), who set up the shop as Bookends in 2014 to sell second-hand titles, raffled off the shop and its contents because he is taking early retirement. Over a period of three months, tickets were given to any customer who spent £20 in the shop. The winning ticket was then pulled out of a hat on 1st September.

"I didn't want to sell the shop and then see a chain take it over - I wanted it to stay a bookshop but give someone different a go," said Morris, who is retiring due to osteoarthritis. "I figured a raffle would be good, because no-one loses. Even if they did not get the shop, they still have some great books to read."

Van Heerden, who is giving up his job in customer service to relocate to Cardigan, said he was “shocked” when he heard he had won. “It’s surreal. I had a coffee and a sit down to take it all in.”

The formal handover will take place on 5th November.