B&B loses place on top list for gay embargo

A Scottish guesthouse that refused a gay couple a double room has been stripped of its "recommended" status by VisitScotland.

The Scottish tourism authority's decision comes after Tom Forrest, owner of the three-bedroom Cromasaig B&B in Kinlochewe, Wester Ross, refused to let Stephen Nock and his partner book a double room at the hotel, and branded them "sexual deviants".

VisitScotland, which has warned that it will do the same to any other hotelier acting similarly, said that it removed the guesthouse from its quality assurance scheme because comments such as Forrest's were damaging to the country's image.

Forrest's actions were not illegal, however. According to the Equal Opportunities Commission, a discrimination claim against Forrest cannot be filed as the current sexual orientation legislation does not cover provision for facilities or services.