A married couple from Coventry, who won the lottery seven years ago, recently shared that there’s one aspect of their old life they still miss. Instead of extending their holiday, Bill, 64, and Cath Mullarkey, 63, received a special message upon returning from St Lucia in 2017, informing them they had won £1 million in the National Lottery.
“At first, I thought it was just a promotional message, like ‘this could be you if you play tonight,’ but then the lady said, ‘congratulations, you’ve won £1 million in EuroMillions,’” Bill recalled.
Though the win changed their lives, it took time for the reality to sink in. For a few days, they felt it might all be a mistake. “I kept thinking they might call back to say there’d been an error, but no. Once everything was confirmed and the bank showed the new balance, it was unbelievable,” he shared.
With their winnings, the couple pursued their long-held dream of moving to St Lucia. Having already owned land there, they built a house and opened a restaurant.
“We always dreamed of owning our own place and ideally starting a small restaurant,” Bill said. “We never thought it would happen, but that became our focus, along with helping family.”
At a stage in life where they had doubted it was achievable, they suddenly had the freedom to choose their ideal home, and for Bill, the choice was clear.
Their restaurant, which opened in November 2023, offers scenic mountain views and serves authentic St Lucian cuisine. Although they miss what they fondly describe as the ‘beautiful’ Coventry, the couple feels the move has greatly enriched their lives.
“We were content before, but we’re even happier now, knowing we have this,” Bill said. “Cath and I are grateful every day for how it’s changed our lives.”
“What we’re doing now is just for us—living our dream, something we never thought we could do—and it has absolutely transformed our lives for the better.”
St Lucia, an eastern Caribbean island, spans roughly 617 square kilometers, has a population of around 180,000, and is famous for its iconic twin volcanic peaks, the Pitons.