Gay couple turned away from B & B

[shandyleer]

Apparently the lady proprietor, on seeing two men arrive, hummed and hedged and muttered about their only being one bed in the room etc, before actually coming out (Ooh, no pun intended) and turning them away. Saw a brief clip of the b & b owners being interviewed and the man said something to the effect of "we have our children in the house to think of".

I won't be rushing to book a stay at their place ...

What's worrying about it rubyrubyruby? All the law says is that you are not allowed to discriminate against people on grounds of their sexuality. No one is forcing people to offer B&B to people they think are going to wreck the joint or murder them in their beds, just that they can't turn people away simply because they are gay.

I don't think this couple (one of whom is a lib dem councillor) look as though they were likely to go on a rampage really

no blij, as long as you're not discriminating, as far as I'm aware you are allowed to refuse service to whoever you like

So 2shoes,just because you decide to offer B&B from home,you have to open the doors of your HOME to all and sundry?

blijemuts - no, only if you refuse to offer them a room simply on the basis of their gender, sexuality or race. That's not really that hard to understand is it?

blijemuts NO BUT YOU CAN'T BREAK THE LAW oops sorry didn't mean to shout.

I am wondering why people are finding this hard to understand. OF COURSE you don't have to take anyone who comes to the door if you run a b and b. You are just not allowed to refuse them simply because of their gender, race, disability, age or sexuality. You ARE allowed to refuse them if they are violent, abusive, noisy, smelly, Socialist Workers or members of the Camservative party. And if somebody is gay and violent, smelly, abusive and a Socialist Worker, you can refuse him for any one of those things, but NOT because he is gay.

yeah,yeah I did understand was just a bit slow typing.I'm not deaf or thick,just wanted to clarify a few things in a civilised matter. Will now happily return to my job of running a B&B which I really enjoy and pick and choose who I allow in, just be careful not to say reason for refusal out loud. Got it. So very sorry madam we are fully booked,but let me refer you to the local tourist information centre who will happily assist you in finding alternative accommodation..... always works.

So you DO refuse people rooms because of their race, gender or sexuality, blijemuts?

why can you not say the reason out loud?

blimey people do seem to be struggling to get it.

just to throw something else into the pot - even though UK discrimination law doesn;t ban discrimination in the provision of services on the grounds of political belief, it's possible (though, as far as I know, untested in a court) that it could fall foul of the Human Rights Act. It actually requires a few legal leaps and arguments but it's certainly not unfeasible.

you would, for example, be able to refuse to rent a room to someone with ginger hair, on the basis of their hair alone.
(Although they could possibly try to claim discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity0

Nope am from Holland so like to think outside the box a bit. Each their own,as long as they respect my home,my family and me ALL are welcome (and I have 'kicked' people out before but these are very rare occasions thank goodness ). I have had people cook their food in my kitchen at odd times as they where restricted by ramadan lead times for their meals. Absolutely no problem and VERY interesting for the children.

So there wouldn't be a problem with you giving the real reason, then!

[baffled emoticon]

You agree that people should be discriminated against?

I said that people seemed to be struggling to get it because there did seem to be quite a few comments saying/asking if this meant b&b owners had to take anyone/everyone.

But you are running a business. And you do have a perfect right to refuse anyone you consider to be a threat to yourself or your children. Being black/white, gay/straight or male/female does not constitute any sort of threat.

If you start a business you have to accept the laws that apply to all businesses.

So don't open a B&B! Simple!

If you purport to run a business, whether it's in a business park, your own home or your own fanny, you have to adhere to UK law. Which means no discrimination on the basis of .

It's really simple.

Or this. Some religions think disabled people are a curse from God and bad luck. If you were of that religion, living in the UK, do you think you'd get away with turning away a person in a wheelchair who had booked a room at your B+B?
(Ignore the ramps/access bit - that's a different argument altogether.)

The next week they refused a bed a straight married couple down to the local agricultural show. They suspected them of coveting their neighbour's ox.......