B&B owner keeps 'no gays' stance

The tourism body took action against Tom Forrest, the proprietor of the Cromasaig guest house in Wester Ross, who told Stephen Nock and his partner they could not stay in a double room.

VisitScotland has withdrawn the premises from its quality assurance scheme and its website for his "appalling treatment" of the couple.

A VisitScotland spokesman said: "We have given Mr Forrest the opportunity to assure us that he will not offend potential guests in the future but he has refused to do this.

"Every guest to Scotland deserves to be treated with respect and courtesy - in fact the Scots are renowned across the world for their warm and friendly welcome. We have decided that we cannot continue to promote or advertise Mr Forrest’s business because we cannot condone the offensive way this guest was treated.

"We would like to make it clear that his views are not shared by a majority of Scottish people."

Mr Nock, 34, who tried to book accommodation at Cromasaig after seeing it advertised on the VisitScotland website, welcomed the decision and said the tourism agency could do no more.

He said he has since received some hate calls, but also messages from people in the Highlands apologising for the treatment he received.

The move was also welcomed by Stonewall, the gay rights organisation. A spokesman said: "We support this action taken by VisitScotland. In this day and age that kind of behaviour is unacceptable. Barring a black or disabled couple from a hotel is illegal and we say that a gay couple being barred should be illegal also."

But Mr Forrest dismissed the action and his views were still clear on the guest house website last night. On it he states: "We will only allow heterosexual couples and singles to occupy our double-bedded rooms."

Asked about the VisitScotland move he said: "I think they are a shower of bloody nerds basically.

"I am not worried about coming off their website. We have our own website and bring in more business from that. I would get rid of them and get a proper organisation, like the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board, to run things."

He said he asked a VisitScotland official if she thought homosexual sex was natural and she replied "yes".

He said: "There is no point in talking to people like that. It’s obvious which side they are on. If that’s the sort of organisation they are, they are welcome to it."

Mr Forrest, who referred to Mr Nock as a "poof" and a "creature", said he has been "stitched up" and that support he has received has outweighed the opposition "by a massive margin".

He added: "Since last night we have had messages from people congratulating us from as far away as California and more accommodation inquiries than you can ever imagine."

He read one message, from a man in Middlesex, which stated: "Thank God there is a man who will stand up to some of the daft changes to the laws of this land. You have spoken for the majority of people who think like you but are too afraid to say so."

When Mr Nock, who works in London, tried to book a double room he was told on e-mail he could have only a twin-bedded room because the B&B would not "condone perversion".

When he was accused of being homophobic, Mr Forrest replied: "I have no hatred or fear of poofs, etc. I just do not approve of unnatural acts being performed in my home."