A husband and wife who refused to let a gay couple stay in a double bed at their B&B have been forced to put their business up for sale after legal bills became too crippling for them to stay afloat.
Hazelmary and Peter Bull, a devout Christian couple, purchased the Chymorvah Hotel in Marazion, Cornwall, England in 1986. Since then they have maintained a strict “heterosexual married couples only” policy when it comes to sharing double beds.
In 2008, gay civil partners Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy booked a room with a double bed for a two night stay. Upon arriving, they were told the hotel could not honor the booking and could instead offer them separate single rooms. The couple sued and, in 2011, a judge ordered Mr. and Mrs. Bull to pay them £3,600, citing that there is no difference between a civil partnership and a marriage, and that the Bull’s reason for denying the men a room was invalid and discriminatory.
The story made national headlines in the UK. Since then, the Bulls claim to have received death threats and vandalism to their property and website, which they say was hacked and “corrupted with pornography.” They also claim they have had the bolts removed from the wheels of their car and most recently found a dead rabbit nailed to their fence.
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The B&B also lost its listing with hotel database Visit England, resulting in even more loss of business.
Despite a good summer of sunshine this year, they claim they were not even half full and believe they were the only hotel in the county “that had rooms left.”
In an interview with the UK’s Daily Mail, Mrs. Bull said: “Last winter was terrible. We were actually shivering and were hungry. We are coming towards next winter and dreading it.”
She continued, “In 2013, two people who worked all their lives at this have ended up cold and hungry. It’s not right. This is like a death in the family. I never thought it would end like this. We are not facing the future with any real enthusiasm.”
They currently have the B&B listed at £750,000. Despite everything, the Bulls continue to defend their right to stick to their principles and their belief in God, which is, sadly, about all they have left.
Photo credit: UK Daily Mail.
GayTampaCowboy
While i don’t wish them financial ruin, they are lying in the bed they made. If they had marketed their hotel as a PRIVATE CHRISTIAN COUPLES AND SINGLES ONLY HOTEL, they’d have had NO problem. Instead, they marketed themselves as a PUBLIC hotel, and thus are required to follow the law when it comes to equal accomodation of ALL legally recognized unions.
And by the photo in the article, it sure seems like they were using their business to proselytize their faith.
LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO “PICK AND CHOOSE WHO THEY WANT TO SERVE AS CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS!”
Dakotahgeo
I’m sure they are more than happy with the results. I am a Christian, but I try to “do” the work, not just “talk” about it. Funny that some people will destroy their lives to make others miserable. I don’t see the Bulls enjoying it now.
Dxley
They deserve it. This is so awesome, I feel like I’m gonna jump higher than the clouds. DIE, BITCHES!!!
Rad
Two things:
…and there are no Christian groups who will rally to their aide? Really? You would think with all the viral hate groups in the name of Christ being given front and center attention on the blogs, someone would say, “Look, we got this going on in our own community, let’s give them our help”.
I just don’t feel for these folks, but you know, as a gay, married man, more Atheist than Christian, if I walked into their establishment and saw that Jesus scrawl plastered on the desk top, I would just wish them luck and leave. I know no discussion could ever go well.
the other Greg
Funny, she looks like she could be Maggie Gallagher’s less-fat older sister.
EManhattan
Actually, if their god DOES exist, I suspect they will soon be very warm, for all eternity.
Deepdow
@GayTampaCowboy:
this,
fuck them.
Deepdow
@Dxley:
ugh i can see that you dont really mean it. you’re just saying that to portray gay people as happy vindictive people. YES I SAID FUCK THEM. but they thought the world was flat and jesus
protip: it isnt.
Mr. E. Jones
This article reads like it was written by Brian Brown.
Taliaferro
When you put your religious beliefs ahead of your business, then expect to have that business fail. There are not enough wealthy fundamentalist Christians who would meet with your approval to make your B & B a success. If there is any justice, a non judgmental person or persons will buy the place and turn it into a welcoming one for ALL, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. Winter is coming, you have priced this place quite high, and one rather hopes you remain hungry so that your faith alone sustains you. Don’t expect me to care about you at all.
2eo
Boo fucking hoo. You can die knowing your religion is bleeding on every educated front. People like me are turning the blade every day.
Kieran
If they were true Christians they would know and remember the words of Jesus: “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye but ignore the log sticking out of your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the log from your own eye.” Jesus taught that we are not to judge others and certainly not to discriminate against others.
sfbeast
That’s what you get for pretending that ignorant superstitious nonsense gives you the right to be a bigot.
GlitterKidder
Two words. Ha Ha!
yaoming
It gives me pleasure to point out that the Jesus whose name they have ridiculously emblazoned across their registration desk was not a Christian. If they had bothered to follow his example, this never would have happened. I hope some day they will realize this.
CaptainFabulous
Your Lord tells you not to judge. You judged. And yea, verily, he hath smote you for your blasphemy.
MK Ultra
That’s what happens when you break the law, then go on national tv the degrade your victims and throw yourself on the cross as a victim yourselves.
Mike
Cold and hungry my ass! What a lying bitch!
Will L
Gosh, it would be a terrible shame if they aren’t able to sell it. That would really leave them cold and hungry – going more in debt the longer they keep it.
auntsharon
@Kieran: Don’t you mean “ignore the stick up your own ass”?
scott747
Let’s hope they have been the victims of Divine Retribution from whatever Christian God they believe in. Assholes!
tardis
Damn. Part of me feels for them and the other tells me they had it coming. I have no idea why people equate Christian beliefs to homosexuality. It’s nice that people extract principles out of Christianity, but sometimes it’s like…use your head for a minute. I shudder to think what these people would truly do to people who are different if they could. They’d probably press the kill switch in the name of The Lord.
Kurtis
It disturbs me the amount of violent hatred that is happening in these comments. These people are misguided, but they didn’t HURT anyone. They refused, based on policy, to allow a gay couple to share a room. They didn’t refuse them service. They refused to allow them to share a room.
Is what they did wrong?
To us, yes.
Did they act out of frothing hatred?
Probably not. They probably just weren’t comfortable with the idea of two men having sex under their roof. I can’t say I can blame them for having a comfort zone. AND IT ISN’T JUST A GAY THING. They ALSO didn’t allow non-married heterosexual couples to share a double bed. So stop treating them like they have some personal vendetta against gays.
The gay couple in question should have done their research before making a booking. They shouldn’t have expected to be treated like some exception to this business’ established rule. I honestly find it all a bit too convenient that they happened to slip through the cracks and get a room booked without the owners knowing they were a gay couple. Perhaps the gay couple was out for an easy lawsuit?
Please stop wishing agony, hellfire, and death upon the owners of this B&B. They’re a misguided couple doing what they think is morally correct without really infringing on anyone. I hope these people get the aid they need for the upcoming winter months. They don’t deserve to have their lives ruined over all this, though I do think a public apology would be “good for business”.
2eo
@Kurtis: Bless, I understand the will to act like a human being is very great, but cabbages shouldn’t use the internet. Sorry Kurtis, get back in your patch.
Cam
@Kurtis: said…
“It disturbs me the amount of violent hatred that is happening in these comments. These people are misguided, but they didn’t HURT anyone. They refused, based on policy, to allow a gay couple to share a room. They didn’t refuse them service. They refused to allow them to share a room.
__________________________
No Kurtis, actually what they did do is say that gays are not worthy of being recognized. This is no different than somebody claiming that we shouldn’t have jobs, adopt children, be allowed to marry, etc…
As for the couple themselves. Hey, being a bigot gets expensive when you get caught. Deal with it.
kodi_kanuck
They are reaping what they have sowed…. May they repent and find love for all men, women and trans. I cannot shed a tear for them…..
parker
They were probably just tired of trying to get the brown stains out of the sheets.
Kathukid
Consequences, bitch!
2eo
If they received these threat then why have no police reports being filed, and no officers called to the place at all in the past 19 months?
There have being no threat. None, literally zero. Lying christians playing the victim card again.
Pistolo
I don’t necessarily think killing rabbit or anything like that is a positive but I’m glad people responded to discrimination by boycotting and put them out of business. They’re cold and starving or whatever, well, some people who are gay are cold and starving when they’re kicked out of their house for being gay. Cold and starving is a more favorable option for people who live in countries where they can be executed. They don’t have jobs now but a lot of gay people get fired for being gay or, worse, never hired to begin with. All because of homophobia.
startenout
@Kurtis: Actually, they did hurt someone…that gay couple that started it all. Can you imagine how hurt they must have been to plan a vacation taking their time, energy and money, and have it ruined when their union (which of course we were all told we should be happy with because it was “just the same as a marriage”) was invalidated? I checked it out myself…there is nothing on the website that says no gay couples. There is nothing on the website that says no un-married heterosexual couples either.
If they want to base their business on antediluvian notions of propriety, it is the option of modern day society to let then run themselves into the ground. If they want to proselytize to a gay couple that they cannot be together in the same room because of their own bigotry, then they should have been prepared for similar judgments to be passed against them. While I do wish them ill, I do think they are getting just what they deserve.
And you trying to imply that the gay couple was in it for a lawsuit is just ludicrous and self-hating against the gay community. I have booked a number of rooms for vacations over the years and never once been asked the gender of my roommate(s) or if we were married. Again, if they have such an issue with only booking heterosexual, married couples, it falls to the business owner to ask or publicize that.
I guess they knew it would be bad for business. Good to see they were right about one thing. LOL
JJMNY
Sorry bitches. You reap what you sow!!!
Kurtis
@2eo: It only furthers my point when you sling insults at me while I try to look at the issue from both perspectives. Thanks for supporting me!
@Cam: No, no. I’m pretty sure what they said was “Heterosexual married couples to share a room only, anyone else is asked to take separate single rooms.”
I’m sorry if it offends you so much that this couple wasn’t welcomed to have sex at this privately-owned Bed and Breakfast. It would be different if they were outright refused service, but they weren’t. Sounds like a case of greedy people looking for an easy lawsuit, to me.
I repeat: Their policy wasn’t “No gays allowed”. It was that Non-married and/or non-heterosexual couples are asked to sleep in separate rooms. They would have made the same judgment call if it was an engaged heterosexual couple.
MK Ultra
@Kurtis: But how have you seen the issue from both sides?
You’ve defended these BB owners breaking the law. You know, the law. That thing you don’t get to opt out of or put conditions on just because you disagree. You’ve called the gay couple greedy and insinuated that they went to the BB for the sole purpose of dirtying up the place with gay sex.
Your point is clear: Any laws protecting gay rights and equality should be voluntary for the public if they disagree (thereby making them useless) and gays should know their place. How dare they not love the illegal discrimination from the “innocent old christian couple’? How dare they fight back? How dare they expect the dignity and respect that any heterosexual couple would take for granted?
Don’t worry, Kurtis, Your “perspective” has been duly noted and I’m sure the readers on here will decide what the make of it.
2eo
@MK Ultra: Well said.
Sebastian
What they did was wrong, but it does not need all these bitchy comments. Show a bit of compassion. They have already been punished.