THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Christian hotel owners who refused a gay couple a double room acted unlawfully, a judge in Bristol has ruled.
Peter and Hazelmary Bull were breaking the law when they denied Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy a room at their hotel in Cornwall in September 2008.
Judge Andrew Rutherford made the ruling in a written judgment at Bristol County Court as he awarded the couple £1,800 each in damages.
Mr Hall and Mr Preddy, from Bristol, were seeking up to £5,000 damages claiming sexual orientation discrimination under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.
At a hearing last month, the Bulls denied the claim, saying they have a long-standing policy of banning all unmarried couples both heterosexual and gay from sharing a bed at the Chymorvah Private Hotel in Marazion near Penzance.
Mr Bull, 70, and his wife, 66, said their policy, operated since they bought the hotel in 1986, is based on their beliefs about marriage and not a hostility to sexual orientation.
Mrs Bull told the court: "We accept that the Bible is the holy living word of God and we endeavour to follow it as far as we are able.
"We have a kind of routine we go through with folk. It is never our intention to offend so we try to make it as gracious and as helpful as we can." (+ video) >>> | Tuesday, January 18, 2011
