The Equality and Human Rights Commission has successfully defended an appeal in the English Court of Appeal against a ruling in the County Court which found that hotel owners had directly discriminated against a gay couple.
Mr and Mrs Bull appealed against the County Court’s decision that they were wrong to refuse Mr Preddy and Mr Hall a double room for the night in their hotel. The owners said that their hotel rule, based on their Christian faith, was that no unmarried couples could share a double room.
The Court of Appeal agreed with the County Court that the hotel’s rule directly discriminated against civil partners Mr Preddy and Mr Hall. The couple were treated differently because of their sexual orientation as it is not possible for a gay couple to marry.
In the appeal ruling the judges noted that both sides recognised the strongly held views of the other, and the Commission went to great lengths to reassure Mr and Mrs Bull that their beliefs were not under question.
However, the judges ruled that religious belief does not offer an exemption from laws that everyone running a business has to follow. Equality law already has exemptions for religious organisations, which the judges noted the hotel was not.
The court dismissed the Bull’s claim that their right to a private life would be compromised by allowing gay couples to sleep in a double room. The Bulls could manifest their beliefs in many ways outside of their business interests, including in their home which is separate from the hotel.
