WHEN a lottery winner and well-known publican combined forces the result was acquisition in March of Mowbray York Ltd, the eat house and ice bar in Stonegate.

The lottery winner, Ken Southwell, and publican, Adrian Wilkinson (formerly of the city's Spread Eagle and Golden Fleece) have worked seven days a week non-stop to improve customer service, including expanding ice cream production into wholesale supply of frozen delicacies such as Island Magic, Mint Malteser, Irish Cream and Blue Moon, broadening the fresh food menu and creating a recognisable Mowbray logo.

The result: Staff has increased, now with 14 on the payroll, and speculation that by the end of the year turnover will have increased by 20 per cent. Mowbray York Ltd has already begun a big expansion programme, investing £125,000 in acquiring the Bay Horse pub, Gillygate and a re-building investment of £400,000 in pub "somewhere on the south side of York," revealed Mr Wilkinson.

He said: "It is an existing pub to which we are adding new bedrooms."