Owners of a B&B who refused to accommodate a gay couple in a room with a double bed have been ordered to pay damages of £1,800 to each of them after the couple brought a claim based on breach of the laws banning discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation.
The hoteliers are devout Christians and believe that homosexuality is wrong. They were unwilling to have an openly gay couple share a bed in their establishment, which is also their home. They argued that their actions were based on ‘sincere beliefs about marriage’.The case against them was brought with the support of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Recognising the need to balance the B&B owners rights to religious beliefs with the law on unlawful discrimination, the court ruled that Peter and Hazelmary Bull were wrong to act as they did and ordered them to pay damages.
Leave to appeal was given by the court