Canterbury is not sending out enough “gay signals” apparently:

Historic city ‘not gay enough’ say equality campaigners

Its ancient cathedral is the oldest church in Britain still in use and millions of tourists visit each year.

But Canterbury, it seems, is not all-inclusive in what it offers.

The historic cathedral city is simply not gay enough, according to an official complaint.

The city – scene of the murder Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 and famed for its association for Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales – is the subject of an investigation by the local government watchdog after gay activists lodged an official complaint.

They say the city council has failed to ‘send out signals’ that it welcomes the gay community.

Canterbury, the complaint says, ‘is still a cultural wilderness for LGBTs’ (lesbian, gay bisexual or transgender).

Among complaints, made by the group Pride in Canterbury, is that the city does not have a gay bar or community centre.

The organisation has also complained about the ‘stereotypical’ depiction of a gay character in a play staged at the city’s Marlowe theatre.

Last night the council seemed bewildered by the investigation, insisting it had done its best to help the gay community by offering money, help and use of its facilities – including £4,000 in grants to Pride in Canterbury.

But Andrew Bretell, of Pride in Canterbury, said more was needed and that the council was missing out on the ‘pink pound’.

He said he complained to the council last year and when that failed went to the ombudsman.

‘They’re more interested in ticking their equality boxes and engaging in back and forth ‘who said what’ games than they are in dealing with the real issues.

‘We do not believe the council want a thriving LGBT community in our city.’

This should put to rest the canard that the homosexual agenda is to gain equal access or have equal rights and opportunities. It is really about campaigning for equal cultural pervasiveness; an endeavour as ridiculous as insisting there aren’t enough bearded men in Canterbury.

Speaking of bearded men, although Rowan Williams is doing his best at increasing the gaiety of the Anglican church, it looks as if he needs to re-double his efforts; after all Anglicanism’s colonial centre is still in Canterbury.

What Canterbury needs is one of these: