US: Couple to sue restaurant that cancelled gay wedding because of ‘bad Feng Shui’
Legal action is being taken against the owner of a small chain of Asian restaurants in New York, who cancelled the wedding party of a gay couple because of bad Feng Shui.
The lawsuit filed at Manhattan Supreme Court, by newlyweds, Barrett Greene, 50, and Thomas Eng, 38 says the owner violated their civil rights by cancelling their rehearsal dinner at Amber Village, in Greenwich Village, New York, as well as refusing to cater for their wedding day, reports New York Daily News.
After taking a $750 deposit following a meeting in March, the restaurant manager, Tommy Ho, called to say that the couple may need to change the venue of their dinner to a different restaurant in the chain.
The Lawsuit alleges that Mr Ho was later sacked by the owner of the chain, only identified as Mr Fong: “Fong was visibly angry and told Ho that he didn’t want any ‘gay parties’ at Amber Village,” the suit charges.
“Fong instructed Ho to ‘make an excuse’ and tell Greene that his rehearsal dinner could not take place at Amber Village and that his wedding could not be catered by them either.
“Fong also told Ho that it’s ‘very bad’ for Amber Village to book ‘gay parties’ and that big groups of ‘gay partyers’ are especially bad for feng shui.”
Another manager from the restaurant chain, Bo Lee, said he was surprised by the allegations. He said:
“Feng shui has to do with luck and fortune. It has to do with where do you put your plants and flowers, your furniture. It has nothing to do with who are your clients,”
“This is the West Village. We don’t turn away anyone,” Mr Lee said. “We have gay managers.”
The lawsuit claims unspecified damages, but will include the $750 deposit, which was never returned by the Amber Village, which closed in June.