Gay hotel opens in Leicester

A hotel exclusively for gay men and women opened in Leicester this week.

Owner Nicholas Coombes opened the 12-bedroom Pineapple hotel, in Vaughan Way, because he believed gay couples encountered prejudice when they tried to book hotel rooms.

He tested his theory when he posed as a gay man and tried to book rooms for himself and a male partner in various hotels.

He said at some he was told there were no rooms available, while in others he encountered what he called "open hostility".

The Pineapple hotel, formerly a pub, has undergone a £100,000 refurbishment. All the bedrooms are fully booked until November.

Manager Steve Finch, a father of five, said: "Bookings have been flowing in through word of mouth and the Internet.

"We want people to be able to come here and not have to worry about sniggers or remarks."

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 16-22 August 2001