A Dovercourt hotel is being sold by its owners in a prize draw.

The 14-bed Hotel Continental, which is fully working and ready to go, is up for grabs in the lottery with tickets selling at £1,000 each.

Retiring poet and artist Gordon Hoyles, who owns the hotel with his wife Blossom, said he was keen to sell the hotel differently.

Mr Hoyles said: ““We didn’t want to sell the usual way for a number of reasons.

“After 18 years running the hotel we feel it has come of age and it is time for us to leave home.

“In addition we have been told it could take up to two years to find a buyer and we don’t have that much time to wait.”

“We want to go out with a bang and for the lucky prize draw winner to win the prize of a lifetime.”

Mr Hoyles is hoping a “known personality” will do the honours at the electronic draw.

A firm date for the draw has not yet been set, but it is expected to be 100 days after the start date of the event on May 1.

The hotel in Marine Parade includes art work and originally designed interiors, and also has a restaurant which is open to the public.

The expected approximate turnover for the year 2013-14 for the hotel is £250,000.

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people need to enter the competition for it to go ahead.

The full terms and conditions for the draw, which has required a lot of work from lawyers and estate agents to make it possible, can be found online.