HOTELS and bed and breakfast businesses that turn away same-sex couples face prosecution under plans announced yesterday to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination.

Restaurants that stop gay couples holding hands over dinner also risk being taken to court under the proposals made by the Department of Trade and Industry. It will also be illegal for shops to refuse the provision of wedding lists for gay and lesbian couples.

The move comes after complaints from the gay community that same-sex couples are being turned away from hotels on the ground that they would offend other guests.

Gay clubs will also be hit by the proposed rules, which will make it illegal for them to exclude heterosexuals. Discriminating against gay people at work is illegal but the DTI is now planning to make it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of goods and services.

The rules will make discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation illegal in the same way as race or gender. They are drawn up to protect gays from being denied “goods, facilities and services” on the ground of sexual preference.

Alan Johnson, the Trade Secretary, said: “Too often, gay and lesbian people can face discrimination in their everyday lives. I want to make sure that no one gets refused a room at a hotel or a table in a restaurant because of their sexuality.

“We intend to end this sort of discrimination and make sure that gay men, lesbians and bisexual people can enjoy the same rights and freedoms as heterosexual people.”

He published a consultation on the proposals and the introduction of the new rules in October. The consultation paper said that department stores, which offer wedding lists for heterosexual couples, must offer a similar service to couples planning a civil partnership or face prosecution.

Other organisations which will be targeted include flat- letting agencies that refuse to keep the details of gay couples on file, and golf clubs that turn down applications for membership on the ground that the applicants are gay.

Schools that fail to deal with homophobic bullying in the same way as other bullying could face a claim of discrimination. They will also risk action if they deny a gay pupil the chance to be a prefect or to go on a school trip.

The department is also considering how the regulations should apply in faith schools, particularly where the religion is hostile to homosexuality.

Most department stores offer a wedding list service to same-sex couples. John Lewis has provided the service since 2000 and has seen a 238 per cent increase in same-sex couples wanting the lists since the law came into force in December.

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