THEGAYUK

Tag: Cornwall News

Get the latest LGBT+ Cornwall news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Cornwall in the UK.

  • Cornwall’s only full time gay bar is about to close unless it can be rescued

    Cornwall’s only full-time LGBT+ venue is set to close unless a new buyer can be found.

    A gay bar in Cornwall has become the latest LGBT+ venue to close. Deja Vu’s owners Steve and Chris decided to put the venue on the market. They took over the bar from Bar Qdos just two years ago. They opened the venue after a large renovation for Cornwall pride in August 2015.

    The couple vowed to keep the venue open as long as it was sustainable, which it was, but when Cornwall Pride – and its associated events moved from Truro to Newquay it was the “final nail” in the coffin for Deja Vu.

    There are no LGBT+ club is Newquay.

    It was revealed that money raised from the footfall that Cornwall Pride would create for the venue helped the owners pay for its building insurance, music license. However, because of the Pride’s move, those costs are now being met out the pockets of the owners.

    The couple has put the business on sale for just under £40,000.

    Speaking to THEGAYUK, Chris said,

    “When (we) opened the bar it was for the LGBTQ community and the bar would stay open as long as it paid for itself and with Cornwall pride and special events throughout the year this was the case.

    “The final nail in the coffin was the relocation of Cornwall pride from Truro the capital of Cornwall to the seaside resort of Newquay ensured the bar to lose a large chunk of income from this one night. The income from this one night normally pays for the insurance buildings and contents and public liability along with the PRS music licence for the year.

    “But due to the relocation of pride we are going to have to pay these out of our own pocket so the time has come to sell up”.

     

     

  • Jehovah’s Witnesses distribute leaflet telling gay people to “control their urges”

    Jehovah’s Witnesses distribute leaflet telling gay people to “control their urges”

    A leaflet has been distributed in Devon calling on gay people to “control their urges”

    Jehovah's Witnesses Office In New York City
    CREDIT: Jehovah-s-Witnesses photo.ua

     

    A leaflet distributed by Jehovah’s Witnesses has caused widespread offence after suggesting that gay people should “control their urges.”

    The leaflet which is entitled “How to harness your habits” has been described as “anti-gay” after a section of the text told readers that the bible condemns ‘homosexual acts’. The LGBT charity Stonewall called the leaflet “damaging vitriol”.

    The leaflet has been examined by the Devon and Cornwall police who considered that the material did not meet “the threshold to be considered a crime”.

    The leaflet seemingly compares gay people to animals by suggesting that “unlike animals, they can choose not to act on their impulses”.

    Passages highlighted by the religious group also quoted,

    “A person who has homosexual leanings can control what he allows his mind to dwell on, just as he would control any other wrong desire, including leanings towards anger, adultery or greed.”

    ALSO READ: This video released by Jehovah’s Witnesses suggests that gay people can be changed

     

    In the leaflet Jehovah’s Witnesses distributed to people in North Devon claim that the,

    “Bible tells Christians to be respectful of all kinds of people. (1 Peter 2:17) But that does not mean that Christians must accept all kinds of conduct.

    “Consider a comparison: Suppose you view smoking as harmful and even repugnant. What if you have a workmate who is a smoker? Would you be considered narrow-minded just because your view of smoking differs from his?

    Would the fact that he smokes and you do not smoke automatically mean that you are prejudiced against him?

    If your workmate were to demand that you change your view of smoking, would that not make him narrow-minded and intolerant?

    The leaflet explained that whilst Jehovah’s Witnesses choose to live by a moral code set forth in the bible and do not approve of actions not set out by the bible as ‘moral’ they will not “mock nor mistreat” people who don’t follow that code.

  • Top UK Judge Calls For Conscience Clause For Christians With Anti-Gay Beliefs

    A Judge who originally threw out the Christian B&B couples’ attempts to overturn a ruling that said they could not discriminate against gay couples has had a rethink and dropped all legal costs.

    Supreme Court deputy president Baroness Hale has ordered that all legal costs faced by Peter and Hazelmary Bull be dropped, after the couple’s final attempt at an appeal was thrown out of court, in a highly unusual move, which could save the hoteliers thousands of pounds.

    According to the Bristol Post Baroness Hale has called for ‘a re-think on gay and religious rights more than six months after she refused hoteliers Peter and Hazelmary Bull’s final appeal.’ The B&B owners had made several attempts to have the ruling overturned.

    Mr and Mrs Ball turned away gay couple Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy in 2008, citing religious beliefs for the reason why the two men couldn’t share a room. Mr Hall and Mr Preddy then took the Bulls to court in a high-profile court case, which the civilly partnered couple won. The Bulls were ordered to pay £3600 in damages to Mr Hall and Mr Preddy.

    Baroness Hale said that she may have been wrong in condemning the couple and that the law should work on a “conscience clause” for Christians in cases like the Bulls.

    In 2013, Baroness Hale was named as the fourth most powerful woman in the UK in BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour 100 Power List.

    On the Hotel’s website the Bulls state,

    ‘Here at Chymorvah we have few rules, but please note that as Christians we have a deep regard for marriage (being the union of one man to one woman for life to the exclusion of all others).

    ‘Therefore, although we extend to all a warm welcome to our home, our double bedded accommodation is not available to unmarried couples. Thank you.’