A couple said they were turned away from one of Scotland’s top wedding venues – because they are gay.
John and Stephen Devaney claim Loch Lomond Waterfront owner Suzanne Cottam told them: “We can’t allow people like you here.”
The comments came as the pair were viewing the scenic venue on Saturday, in the hope of holding their wedding ceremony there next May.
But the pair, who have been together for more than 17 years, claim owner Suzanne, 57, who runs the 5 star luxury venue in Balmaha with husband Charles, 59, told them: “A marriage is between one man and one woman, not two men and not two women.”
Now, the devoted couple have told of their disgust at the venue’s intolerance – despite laws in Scotland allowing same sex couples to marry.
John, 49, who co-runs a successful party planning business with his partner Stephen, told the Daily Record: “I’m still in shock, I just couldn’t believe someone could be just so intolerant of others in this day and age.
“Stephen and I had driven to Loch Lomond Waterfront hotel with our young niece Demi-Lee on Saturday in order to have a look around at the venue and rooms available for our wedding.
“Because we were with our little niece, the owner and wedding planner obviously didn’t realise at first and accompanied us showing us around the beautiful place.
“But when I turned to the owner and said that we already had a civil partnership and we were looking to renew our vows and convert our relationship to marriage she couldn’t hide her disgust.
“She told me that, ‘we can’t allow people like you in here’ and said that gay marriage was against her beliefs.
“I told her she was entitled to her beliefs but that gay marriage was now legal, but she just said she was the owner so she could say and do as she liked.
“She then told us that a marriage should be between one man and one woman only and not two men like us, or two women.”
Stephen, 38, added: “We didn’t face this prejudice at our civil partnership and now to be faced with this discrimination is just disgusting.
“We were both upset, it was just the most horrible feeling.”
Last year, Scotland became the 17th country in the world to legalise gay marriage after the Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of legislation to permit gay marriages.
The historic vote which took place at Holyrood, in February last year saw the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill was passed by 105 votes to 18.
Legislation allowing same-sex marriages came into force in December last year, allowing sex same couples to legal exchange vows and wed.
Loch Lomond Waterfront was awarded Trip Advisor’s 2014 certificate of excellence.
But John and Stephen say they were denied the right to convert their 2006 civil partnership to marriage at the venue.
They left in disgust after being told they were not welcome.
John then posted a customer comment on the venue’s Facebook page and was immediately inundated with kind messages of support from friends and even strangers.
John said: “ The woman just ushered us out, as her wedding planner stood there utterly embarrassed and in disbelief.
“It took a few days for the shock and then anger to subside and I decided to write a comment on the Loch Lomond Waterfront hotel’s Facebook page.
“The venue deleted the comment quickly, but friends started sharing it on Facebook and soon we were getting so many messages telling us the hotel’s treatment of us was shocking and to hold out heads up.
“I want people to know about the way we were treated, because I wouldn’t want any other couple to go there filled with hope and excitement and be cast out.
“We have fought for many years for equal rights but that woman just stripped me off them in that one instant.
“It is not ok to treat people like this, we are a loving and faithful couple and we want to celebrate that privately with family and friends like everyone else.”
The pair are now considering legal action.
When contacted via telephone by the Daily Record a member of staff at the Loch Lomond Waterfront venue said that Suzanne was not available to comment.
Emails to the venue marked for the attention of Suzanne Cottam also went unanswered.
When approached by the Record at the venue yesterday, owner and company director Charles Cottam refused to comment.
He said: “We are not commenting.”
Politicians last night demanded action over the wedding refusal.
Stewart McDonald, an SNP candidate in Glasgow South said: “John and Stephen are a couple who have been together for many years, and were amongst the first to carry out a civil partnership.
“We have fought long and hard to introduce equal marriage in Scotland, and converting their civil partnership into a marriage should be one of their happiest experiences. Instead they have been met with bigotry, ignorance and intolerance.
“Whilst the action that John and Stephen decide to take is a matter entirely for them, it is my hope that this awful experience serves as a reminder that, despite the good progress that has been made on equality, there is still a lot of work to be done to deliver the modern and tolerant Scotland that so many of us want to build.”
'We can't allow people like you here': Couple turned away from top wedding venue - because they're gay
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