Lottery syndicate

Lottery syndicates were established by the employees of Henrik's department store in order to purchase tickets once the National Lottery was established in 1994. Each department had its own syndicate. (PROSE: Rose)

Senior Caretaker Bernie Wilson, who ran a petty criminal enterprise out of the store's basement, saw an opportunity for profit and volunteered to take charge of actually purchasing the tickets. Instead, he stole the money for himself, acquiring a stream of profit which he spent on whisky, Sky television, and a trip to Thailand every few years. Over time, however, the amount of money the syndicates sent for the Lottery's twice-weekly drawings lessened. (PROSE: Rose)

When Rose Tyler began working at Henrik's in the Female Clothing department in 2004, the department contributed £2 to the Lottery money every week. (PROSE: Rose) Jackie Tyler, via the phone, instructed her daughter Rose to put a quid in the Lottery syndicate on her behalf. (TV: The End of the World)

Bernie's theft grew more blatant over the years as he became less cautious, and on the week of 4 March 2005, he spent all of the money on a deposit for a car instead of purchasing any of the tickets with specified numbers, as he had done to conceal his theft. On that week's Wednesday draw, Lydia Belmont's usual numbers won the jackpot. When she discovered her victory on that Friday the 4th, Wilson concealed the ticket's nonexistence by claiming it was locked in a safe that could not be opened until the next morning, and plotted to commit arson that night to make it look like it had been destroyed. Henrik's destruction ultimately came that night at the hands of the Ninth Doctor, who blew it up to destroy a Nestene nest. (PROSE: Rose)