The owner of a north London bar cancelled an international company's Christmas party after organisers asked if it was a gay venue.
Alexander Proud blocked the car brand's event after receiving an email asking for clarification on the issue - because homosexuality is "against some people religion" [sic].
The company, which Proud is not naming, wrote: "We have our Christmas staff party booked for next Friday at Proud.
"Some of our staff have been told that Proud is a gay bar, is that correct?"
The email continued: "We need to know as it's against some people religion so we will need to make them aware."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">So this happened. Major International car brand sent this homophobic e mail. Really shocked this still happens. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=9&id=222025&p=http://t.co/XAGBymJeog" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2938056-http://t.co/XAGBymJeog" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/XAGBymJeog</a>— Alex Proud (@AlexanderProud) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AlexanderProud/status/540907239536885760" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2938056-https://twitter.com/AlexanderProud/status/540907239536885760" data-vars-event-id="c23">December 5, 2014</a>
Proud responded to the request within hours to tell the company that their party would be cancelled.
"Gay drinks, gay food, gay loos etc..."
He added: "Sorry to disappoint. Booking cancelled."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hipstercon" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2938056-https://twitter.com/hipstercon" data-vars-event-id="c23">@hipstercon</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/obamuh" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2938056-https://twitter.com/obamuh" data-vars-event-id="c23">@obamuh</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Popehat" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2938056-https://twitter.com/Popehat" data-vars-event-id="c23">@Popehat</a> religious customers very welcome. not homophobic idiots hiding behind religion to mask feeble bigotry— Alex Proud (@AlexanderProud) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AlexanderProud/status/540927186799452160" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2938056-https://twitter.com/AlexanderProud/status/540927186799452160" data-vars-event-id="c23">December 5, 2014</a>
He then posted the exchange - with the name of those involved redacted - on Twitter.
"So this happened. Major International car brand sent this homophobic e mail. Really shocked this still happens," he wrote.
He told BuzzFeed the cancellation would cost him thousands of pounds if another company does not book the venue.
He added: "I was relieved to get that email because I wouldn’t have wanted those people in my venue anyway.
"I think some people think homophobia is a thing of the past – there were a lot of people out there who think it’s a fair question. A lot of people think you can justify homophobia using religion."
