Charity single on sale

Mikaela Bullock, Jeannie Croft, Dean T Betton, Cybil Duvaux, Tom Stevens, Fran Collins and Vicky Spencer recorded a Christmas song

Singers from Peek A Booze have put together a version of Do They Know It’s Christmas? to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support.

Peek A Booze’s owners Craig Coleman - aka hostess Cybil De Vaux, and his partner Alec, were joined by the professional singers who perform regularly at the Dickson Road venue for the song.

And in the spirit of the track, the lines were divided between each of the performers, taking on the roles of stars such as Bono, Tony Hadley and George Michael - in the original version from 1984.

Craig put together the session at the Rock Hard Studios, in Cocker Street, with two of his venue singers Tom Stevens and Dean Betton, as well as a host of others.

“We did it in two hours,” Craig said. “Each vocalist went in and did their line in three takes, the the sound engineer edited it together from the best takes.

“It was really professionally done.

“It was good to get us all together, as the singers are usually here at different times, and hearing the voices all together was great too.”

Since running Peek A Booze, they’ve raised more than £1,100 for MacMillan, through the sale of photo keyrings and magnets sold to punters.

Every penny raised from the sale of the CDs will go to the charity, with Rock Hard having donated the studio time, and others having supported the cost of producing the 700 copies.

£400 to £500 has already been raised, and its hoped the appeal will top £2,500.

“We’ve supported MacMillan since taking over the pub in September 2014,” Craig said. “Most people we know have either been affected by cancer personally or know people who have had it, and people know the charity too.

“With the CD now on sale at the bar, and we’re playing the highlights’ video on the big screens, people are really digging deep, even giving £10 or £20 and saying ‘Keep the change’ or even not buying the CD.”