Gay couple win damages from Christian hoteliers

Martyn Hall and his civil partner, Steven Preddy, were turned away from Peter and Hazelmary Bull's hotel in Cornwall in September 2008. The pair, who are from Bristol, sought up to £5,000 in damages after claiming they had been the victims of sexual discrimination.

At a hearing last month, the Bulls denied the claim, arguing that they had a long-standing policy of banning all unmarried couples, both heterosexual and gay, from sharing a bed at the Chymorvah hotel in Marazion, near Penzance, independent.co.uk reports.

Mr Bull, 70, and his wife, 66, said the policy was based on their beliefs about marriage and did not suggest they were hostile to people’s sexual orientation.

But yesterday Judge Andrew Rutherford said social attitudes and the law had changed in Britain over the last 50 years, citing the smoking ban and the decriminalisation of homosexuality as examples, independent.co.uk