Nottinghamshire lottery winners ‘squids in’ with new exotic fish and chip business

Andrew and Paula Hancock thanked their cat Shortcake for their newfound fortune after buying the winning ticket at their local petrol station.

The couple had forgotten the cat’s dinner, but Andrew picked up a Monopoly Millionaire Scratchcard instead after popping to the shops.

After their big win in 2019, the couple, from Boughton, sold their catering business, but have now splashed the cash on a fish and chip van.

Along with traditional cod and haddock suppers, the couple also sell more exotic specials like squid and oysters in the villages near their home.

Andrew, aged 49, said: “We had a catering business before the win, but sold it.

“I’ve been itching to get back into the industry – I love how food brings people together – but the challenge, especially with Covid, was finding and realising the right opportunity.

“You could say I’ve been ‘fishing’ for the right venture which could only have been made possible thanks to our win.

“Having lived in the same rural area all my life, I have seen many local independent businesses like shops and pubs close.

“It’s not just a loss of business and jobs, but there’s also an effect upon the community – a loss of a meeting place.

“I hope this business will serve up more than just food and be a regular focal point for people.”

The couple, who have a 15-year-old son Xavier, launched their new venture in the summer.

Paula, 43, said: “We’ve had queues around corners, we once ran out of cod and one lady in the village of Walesby said it was the best thing to happen to the village in more than 20 years.

“Customers have been chatting with each other while waiting to be served, catching up on village life.

“I really do feel we are serving more than just fish and chips.”

Following their win in July 2019, the couple told how they had their beloved cat Shortcake to thank for their good fortune.

Andrew, then 46, had dashed to the shop after the couple forgot to pick up food for Shortcake.

When he got to the counter of the Esso petrol station in Ollerton, he bought a £5 Millionaire scratchcard, having scooped £100 on scratchcards two weeks in a row – but was stunned when discovered he had won the jackpot.

Andrew, who ran Mansfield-based Jasper’s Catering at the time, was so excited he forgot to buy cat food and dashed home to tell Paula.

Andrew said: “We'd had about a 10-12-hour shift and on the way home I said ‘I’m going to nip home and on the way I’ll get some food for tea and get some cat food’.

“I got home and I'd forgotten the cat food, so I went to the petrol station, filled up, got a scratchcard and went back to the car and scratched it – and still didn't get the cat food.

“So I scratched the card and I'm looking at the card, in disbelief. So I thought, I'll get straight home and go out for the cat food and get that later on.”