MEMBERS of a pop choir have been crowned winners of a York pub’s popular talent contest, writes Georgina Andrews.

The Adult Pop Choir, run by vocal coach Lucy McLean, beat more than 50 contestants to win the top prize of £500 in Ainsty’s Got Talent, at the Ainsty pub in Acomb. They also won a spot performing at the Apollo Festival at York Sports Club today, which is raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Lucy said: “We are so excited to perform this Saturday at the Apollo Festival. What a great way to raise money and to bring the people of York even more music.” She also praised the runner-up, singer-songwriter Beth McCarthy, describing her as “awesome, she really was incredible”.

The Adult Pop Choir was created by Lucy in February and welcomes anyone, with no auditions required. She entered the choir into the competition just to get a performance under their belt, and “never dreamt we’d win the whole thing!”.

Over the competition they performed four different songs, including Christina Perri’s Jar Of Hearts, and Lucy performed a solo rendition of Beyonce’s Listen.

The competition was organised by The Ainsty as a way to bring in extra business. Although it was not initially intended, the competition has also raised a significant amount of money for charity.

Lucy’s choir members have committed to donating all of their winnings to a number of charities that are close to the members’ hearts, including a music therapy centre in York, and sponsorship for Sianagh Gallagher, a local paralympic rock climber. The pub also collected donations throughout the different stages of the competition resulting in over £1000 being raised altogether.

Wendi Hyde, manager of The Ainsty, said: “it was brilliant, a massive success”. The triumph has earned the pub the title “number one performing pub” of the GT Spirit Pubs Company. The pub is already planning for Ainsty’s Got Talent 2014, aiming to be even bigger and better, with applications already coming in.