Sandbanks house draw winner yet to get his prize, eight months on (From Bournemouth Echo)

Sandbanks house draw winner yet to get his prize, eight months on

9:00am Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

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The winner of the controversial “win a house in Sandbanks” competition has yet to receive his cash prize – nearly eight months after the competition closed.

Promoters Vivid Construction Ltd say they have contacted the man in line for more than £40,000, but are refusing to name him.

Instead, they have identified him as a 34-year-old male, living in north west London, and working in television.

“He has requested that his identity remains undisclosed because of the risk of being targeted in terms of aspects such as identity fraud, unsolicited approaches, and other types of harassment and potential criminal activity,” Vivid’s spokesman said.

He added that the winner was happy to verify his identity to the competition’s solicitor, Jon Payne, of Bournemouth firm, Horsey, Lightly, Fynn.

Mr Payne referred our enquiries to Vivid.

Reader Martin Lewis, who wrote to the Echo after contacting Vivid, said entrants had a right to know the winner’s identity.

“It was made clear in the terms and conditions on the competition website that the winner’s name, age, and town of residence would be published on the site within 24 hours of the result.

“Why then would Vivid not want to try and salvage some positive publicity by naming the winner?” he asked.

A cash prize of some £41,060 – the income from 2,053 entries, minus 14 refunds and 20 per cent costs – was triggered when promoters failed to sell the 52,000 tickets needed to offer the luxury house on the Sandbanks peninsula.

The competition, which offered entrants a chance to own a four-bedroom house in Seacombe Road in return for £25 and correct answers to three questions, suffered a series of setbacks.

Vivid blamed protracted negotiations with the Gambling Commission for delays, after which they held a computer-generated prize draw in the offices of the competition’s solicitor last December.

Now, after a further three months, representatives of the Poole-based building firm say they hope to hold a “head-to-head” meeting later this week with the winner at which they plan to “conclude the process”.