A plasterer has jacked his job in after hitting the lottery jackpot and winning an £10,000 a month for the next 30 years.
John Stembridge is the latest lucky winner in the National Lottery’s ‘Set For Life‘ draw.
The 51-year-old has traded in his trowels and plastering gear for what sounds set to be a laid-back luxury lifestyle with ample time for fishing, travelling, and photography after scooping an impressive £10,000 a month, every month, for the next three decades.
After a long career of labouring, the Wiltshire resident’s “life-changing” lottery win means he’s was able to give up working for good last month.
John says he’d been out for the day on a wildlife photography shoot when decided to swing by a local supermarket on his way home to grab a few bits, and bought the lottery ticket for that night’s game just by chance.
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Like most people, John says he “didn’t believe” he would win – but that didn’t turn out to be the case for once, as the jackpot had his name on it.
Now, the keen fisher and photographer will be able to spend as much time as he likes on his hobbies, and has admitted that his first purchase with his lottery winnings will be a luxury campervan so he can travel all across Europe photographing rare wildlife and honing his craft.
“There’ll be no more days of coming home covered in plaster dust and worrying about money and my family – all of our lives are now changed forever.
Plasterer quits his job after winning £10k a month for 30 years on the lottery / Credit: National Lottery
“It makes me so happy that I can now help and support my family and those closest to me, and I literally have no more worries in that respect [as] to be in the position where I get £10,000 every month, tax free, is just phenomenal.
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“This win has changed everything for me and those closest to me, and I still just cannot believe it.”
John also reflected back on the moment he found out he’d won the top prize, admitting to “bursting into tears” after the lady on other end of the film confirmed he’d hit the jackpot.
“The lady on the end of the phone said to me, ‘are you sitting down?’ and she then confirmed that I had won the top prize. I literally burst into tears and I cried my eyes out. I could not believe it.
“My life was about to change forever – and this really was happening to me.”
Featured Image – National Lottery
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
10th August 2023 
