Gay couple in B&B

[AKMild]

I see that the gay couple who were refused a double room in a B&B have won their case and been awarded £1800 damages. I'm not sure of the background facts, so can't really comment, but the hoteliers were found to have acted unlawfully. Does anyone know which law they actually broke and what the damaged were in respect of?

[jackthehat]

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.
Judge Andrew Rutherford made the ruling in a written judgment at Bristol County Court as he awarded the couple £1,800 each in damages.

[carolegif]

They did it under the Human Rights Act. You know the one which lets out terrorists etc. The B & B owners were Christians, so they stood no chance!
Apparently they did not make clear on the online brochure that as Christians they would not allow unmarried couples or couples of the same sex were not welcome, it was only on the actual paper booking form.

[andy-hughes]

carolegif - this couple broke the law, and the law has pronounced on their case.

The faith of the hotel owners is not relavent - they were not judged for being Christians, they were judged for breaking the law.

[ummmm]

It is illegal to discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation. Regardless whether you put it in writing or not.

[doomey!]

I seem to remember the Sandals ads having wording of "no same sex couples" on their ads a few years ago. Unbelievable really.

[gingejbee]

Please, not this one, too. The metaphorical gay-bashing has been done to death on here , recently. Find another target, please!

[Invictas]

I 2nd gingejbee
This question was done and dusted long ago on AB.
This has no doubt been resurrected as an anti gay exercise.

[carolegif]

I'm not bashing them, I just feel sorry that their beliefs put them up against the law. If this couple had been Muslim would there have been a court case? I live in Torquay, we have a gay mayor, a gay parade every year, it is the pink resort in the UK. I am not gay bashing, but people should be able to keep to their beliefs.

[jackthehat]

No-one has suggested that the hoteliers have to jettison their beliefs.
They simply have to operate within the law.

[ummmm]

Yes...they should be able to keep their beliefs. They shouldn't be in a business that makes those beliefs illegal to act upon. It's a simple as that.

[Sqad]

I think that the result of this court case was correct.

[237SJ]

I think the B&B owners should accept that their religious views are incompatible with running a business and they should go off and find some other way to make a living.

[ChuckFickens]

http://www.legislatio...kpga/2010/15/contents

[carolegif]

When they opened their B & B it did not matter who they refused. If they had been a Muslim couple, would the case have got this far? I think not.

[squarebear]

I would hope that as it is a private building, it is up to the owners who they wish to have staying.

[ChuckFickens]

"If this couple had been Muslim would there have been a court case?"

What a load of total (raciest) rubbish, yes of course there would have been, you can sue any religion!

[ummmm]

But SB...it's not private when they are charging the public to stay there. It's a business...

[ummmm]

Carol - all 3 of your posts mention Muslims. Why?

[carolegif]

As a teacher of foreign students and work with all races and creedsI am no racist, but I bet no-one would take it on for fear of being called racists themselves! The way anyone with an opinion is being called racist really gets my goat!

[Invictas]

Soory carole,
If you are business you have to make allowances for your beliefs.
If you are Christian there are more things than gays to worry about,what about unmarried heterosexual couples,or what about a Moslem guest.
I know of a veggie who runs a B&B,she has had to come to terms with cooking bacon,sausages etc for the breakfast.As she say "I don't eat the meat,I only cook it"
Of course if she felt strictly about being a veggie she might not be able to run a B&B.
This couple are really hypocrites,they want the money from their B&B, but don't want it if it comes from persons who violate their beliefs.Well, then they shouldnt be running a B&B.What would they be like if they ran a shop?They would often be serving gays,but would not be able to tell they were.
Basically they dseserve to go out of buisness.We all have dislikes that we could use as an excuse(in many areas of life) we either put the dislike first,or we manage to be pragmatic and steer around it.
This couple want guests,but only when it suits them,and they were prosecuted for illegal discrimination NOT for being Christian!