Two Christian guesthouse owners who were penalised for their rooming policy based on their Christian beliefs about marriage have lost their appeal in the UK Supreme Court.
Legal action
Civil partners Martin Hall and Steven Preddy took legal action against owners Peter and Hazelmary Bull after they refused to offer them a double room in accordance with their “married couples only” policy.
The policy had been applied consistently to both unmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples, and was based on their genuinely held Biblical beliefs that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
Compensation
But in 2011, Bristol County Court ruled against Mr and Mrs Bull,ordering them to pay the couple £3,600 in compensation.
The case was taken to the Supreme Court earlier this year, where the couple asked for “reasonable accommodation” of their beliefs.
Ruling
Five Supreme Court judges have dismissed the case, ruling that the “married couples only” policy had discriminated against the homosexual couple on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Three judges said the policy was direct discrimination, whilst two said that it amounted to indirect discrimination but could not be justified.
“Disappointed”
Commenting on the ruling, Mrs Bull said that she and her husband were “deeply disappointed and saddened by the outcome.”
“We are just ordinary Christians who believe in the importance of marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” she said.
“Our B&B is not just our business, it's our home. All we have ever tried to do is live according to our own values, under our own roof.”
“Second fiddle”
She added: "Britain ought to be a country of freedom and tolerance, but it seems religious beliefs must play second fiddle to the new orthodoxy of political correctness.
“We appealed to the Supreme Court to introduce a bit more balance when dealing with competing rights of sexual orientation and religious liberty.
“Somehow we have got to find a way of allowing different beliefs to coexist in our society.”
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