The Christian owners of a seaside Bed & Breakfast in Cornwall are being sued for refusing to allow two homosexuals to share a double bed.
Peter and Hazelmary Bull are facing a civil action at Bristol County Court on 13 and 14 December after refusing to let homosexual couple Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy use a double bed because it would be contrary to their Christian faith.
The B&B they own operates a policy which allows only married heterosexual couples to share a double bed. The homosexual couple are claiming that the refusal to allow them to share a bed was a “direct discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation”. They are relying on Equality Act regulations and are claiming up to £5,000 in damages against the hotel owners.
The legal fees of the homosexual couple are being paid by the Government-funded Equality and Human Rights Commission. The hearing could set precedent on what restrictions Christian B&B and hotel owners will be allowed to include in their business terms.
Mr Bull and his wife say that the policy, which has been in operation since they bought the B&B in 1986, is based on their beliefs about marriage and not hostility to sexual orientation. The terms of the policy are well advertised on the internet and on all booking forms, and are applied consistently to unmarried couples, whether heterosexual or homosexual. The bedrooms in the B&B feature open Bibles and Christian leaflets. The reception features a mosaic that reads: “Jesus Christ is Lord”.
In August 2008 a letter was sent to the B&B by Stonewall, a homosexual lobby group, claiming that its double bed policy was illegal.
On 19 September 2008, Mr and Mrs Bull received correspondence from Devon and Cornwall Police stating that an allegation had been made that the B&B policy was homophobic and went against current civil legislation. The police stated that the matter had been recorded as a “non crime homophobic incident”.
The Christian Institute, which is assisting the Christian couple, issued a statement saying:
“This case is about liberty of conscience. This guesthouse is Mr and Mrs Bull’s own home. They have rights too, and they should not be forced to act against their sincerely held religious beliefs under their own roof. Their guesthouse is not the only one in Cornwall, there is plenty of room for diversity of opinion. This Christian couple are being put on trial for their beliefs. Equality laws are being used as a sword rather than a shield.”
In May 2010, another Christian couple, who run the Swiss B&B in Berkshire, became subject to legal action by two homosexuals after they explained to them that the guest house had a policy of not offering double beds to homosexual couples. Mike and Susanne Wilkinson said that it was “against their convictions” to let the pair share a double bed in the home where they live as husband and wife with their children.
Sources
Daily Mail
Hemsworth&South Elmsall Express
The Sun
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