Big Lotto win has suburb buzzing
There was only one topic of conversation on the lips of those in Bell Block yesterday – the Lotto winner who would soon be an instant multimillionaire.
Eden Cafe and Restaurant owner Satisk Katariya said the only thing people wanted to talk about was the as yet unclaimed $24 million Powerball win and what it could be spent on.
‘‘Everyone is asking what they would do with $24 million, but it’s not an easy answer.
‘‘They are saying they would buy cafes or a house.’’
The winner could actually buy a lot of houses. In fact, they could purchase all 17 houses currently for sale in the New Plymouth suburb and still have some money leftover.
And although Katariya wasn’t the lucky one, if the winner did want to spend their winnings at his cafe the door was open, he said.
‘‘You could buy the cafe and drink as much coffee as you want.
‘‘I would buy all the coffee and food and buy all the cafes in town, but, unfortunately, [it wasn’t me].’’
Shontae Foley, who works at Poppet in a Box, said she was in the middle of building her own home so the $24m win would have helped with those costs, had she been in possession of the golden ticket.
‘‘Congratulations to the winner, whoever that may be, but it’s not me, unfortunately.’’
The owner of Bell Block Florist, Raewyn Clifton, had other ideas about what she would spend the loot on, had she won. ‘‘I’d probably help out the people that need it, help my family. Hopefully retire early.’’
But if the winner was wanting to buy a florist shop, hers was the one to go for, Clifton said.
‘‘They could buy the whole shop. It’s on the market, and I am hoping to be out of here before Christmas, so they could always buy my shop.’’
With a $160,000 asking price, the winner would still have $23,840,000 leftover which Clifton said could be used to buy ‘‘a couple of million bunches of flowers.’’