News
Appeal Denied in Gay Guest Ban
The owners of a guesthouse in Cornwall were today found guilty of discriminating against a gay couple.
Peter and Hazelmary Bull, owners of the Chymorvah Private Hotel in Marazion, Cornwall, refused to allow a same-sex couple to share a double bedroom in September 2008. It was ruled in January of last year that they had breached equality legislation in their decision and that they would have to pay civil partners, Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy a fine of £3,600.
The Bull's appealed to the court, claiming that due to their beliefs, they couldn't let an unmarried couple share a bed. They saw it as "promoting a sin", and denied discriminating against Hall and Preddy on the basis of their sexuality.
They lost their appeal earlier today, as the judges ruled that, since Hall and Preddy were in a civil partnership, they had the closest thing possible to a marriage that is legally recognised in Britain. As Lady Justice Rafferty said, they "cannot comply with the restriction because each party is of the same sex and therefore cannot marry".
Hall and Preddy were backed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and after the ruling, John Wadham, the commission's group legal director, said: "We believe that this case will help people to better understand the law around freedom of religion. When offering a service, people cannot use their beliefs - religious or otherwise - to discriminate against others."