Christians who refused to let gay couple share a bedroom in their guesthouse to take battle to Supreme Court

• Peter and Hazelmary Bull said that they did not discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation
• They claim they do not let any unmarried couples share a room, in accordance with their Christian beliefs
• When Steven Preddy initially booked the £80 a night room, the Bulls believed that he would be sharing with his wife
• Mr Preddy and his civil partner Martyn Hall were awarded £3,600 of damages at Bristol Crown Court

A couple who refused to let a gay couple share a bedroom at their seaside guest house have won permission to take their case to the Supreme Court.
Court of Appeal judges earlier this year dismissed a challenge brought by the couple who run a guest house in Cornwall, against a ruling that they breached equality legislation when they turned away a gay couple.
The appeal court had upheld the January 2011 verdict of Judge Andrew Rutherford at Bristol County Court that Peter and Hazelmary Bull, who run Chymorvah House in Marazion, Cornwall, had directly discriminated against the couple, who were awarded a total of £3,600 damages.

Peter and Hazelmary Bull from Marazion, Cornwall, run Chymorvah House (pictured)

Peter and Hazelmary Bull (pictured left) refused to let Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy (pictured right) share a double room in the hotel that they run. The case is to be heard by the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, has now decided to hear the Bull’s case.
Mr Bull, 72, and Mrs Bull, who is in her late 60s, are Christians who regard any sex outside marriage as a ‘sin’.
Consequently, they would not let Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy share a double-bedded room.
The Bulls denied that they had discriminated against the couple, arguing that their policy of only allowing married couples to sleep in a double bed, in accordance with their religious beliefs, was applied to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
They said they had also prevented unmarried heterosexual couples from sharing double rooms since they opened 25 years ago.
In February this year, Sir Andrew Morritt, Chancellor of the High Court, sitting with Lord Justice Hooper and Lady Justice Rafferty, dismissed the case and said the restriction was ‘absolute’ when it came to homosexuals but not heterosexuals.

Peter and Hazelmary Bull said they refuse to let unmarried couples share double rooms, in accordance with their Christian beliefs

He said: 'In those circumstances it must constitute discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. Such discrimination is direct'.
Lady Justice Rafferty said a homosexual couple 'cannot comply with the restriction because each party is of the same sex and therefore cannot marry'.
The Bulls had accepted an £80-a-night double room booking, believing Steven Preddy, 38, would be staying with his wife.
When Mr Preddy arrived with his 46-year-old civil partner Martyn Hall, the men, from Bristol, were told they would not be able to share one room and instead had to sleep separately.

Martyn Hall (right) and his civil partner Steven Preddy (left) were awarded £3,600 in damages in January 2011

Peter and Hazelmary Bull Cornwalll say they did not discriminate against the couple because they were homosexuals

In January last year Judge Andrew Rutherford ruled at Bristol County Court that the Bulls had breached equality legislation and ordered them to pay the couple a total of £3,600 damages.
In the Appeal Court ruling earlier this year, Lady Justice Rafferty said: 'Whilst the appellants' beliefs about sexual practice may not find the acceptance that once they did, nevertheless a democratic society must ensure that their espousal and expression remain open to those who hold them.
'However, in a pluralist society it is inevitable that from time to time, as here, views, beliefs and rights of some are not compatible with those of others.
'As I have made plain, I do not consider that the appellants face any difficulty in manifesting their religious beliefs, they are merely prohibited from so doing in the commercial context they have chosen.'
The Equality and Human Rights Commission, had backed Mr Preddy and Mr Hall in their action.
John Wadham of the EHRC said “We believe that this case will help people to better understand the law around freedom of religion.
'When offering a service, people cannot use their beliefs, religious or otherwise, to discriminate against others.'
But Simon Calvert, of the Christian Institute, which funded Mr and Mrs Bull’s appeal, said: 'Something has gone badly wrong with our equality laws when good, decent people like Peter and Hazelmary are penalised but extremist hate preachers are protected.'