'Let us wed'

05 August 2005

Gay couples will be allowed to marry in civil ceremonies this December - but there will be no confetti for those in the borough of Bromley.

Conservative councillors caused outrage when it was mooted that Bromley will not permit civil ceremonies for the gay and lesbian community, despite recent legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry.

Which is why I found myself among 100 or so union activists, political campaigners and members of the gay and lesbian community, last Saturday as they marched to Bromley's civic centre to protest against the council's perceived homophobia.

"Bromley council and homophobia go together like a horse and carriage," shouts Labour activist Liam Curran, to the assembled throng.

The crowd, who had marched, driven and, in one case, been pushed in a wheelchair through Bromley town centre in protest of the council, cheer again.

Before arriving at the civic centre and bringing Bromley's traffic to a standstill, all be it briefly, the procession had begun its life an hour earlier massed outside of The Crown and Anchor pub in Park Road.

Many had travelled from miles around, incensed by the growing row over how Bromley will implement the new Civil Partnerships Act in December. March co-organiser Gino Meriano, of Surrey-based gay wedding specialists Pink Weddings, told me that this event would be 'just the beginning'.



For Patrick Clift's special feature on the protest read the Bromley Times.

patrick.clift@archant.co.uk