A baker who lost a discrimination case for turning away a gay couple has revealed he will stop making wedding cakes completely.
Jack Phillips, 57, refused to bake a wedding cake for Denver residents David Mullins, 29, and Charlie Craig, 34 - despite it being claimed he was happy to make one for two dogs.
The couple sued him and won in a landmark case, which saw the Colorado Civil Rights Commission unanimously declare free speech and business should be separate.
Now Mr Phillips has revealed he will stop baking wedding cakes altogether so he will not be 'forced to participate' in a same-sex ceremony. 'We would close down the bakery before we would complicate our beliefs.
'If it's just a birthday, I have no problem with that. My issue is that I don't want to be forced to participate in a same-sex wedding'.
But the Masterpiece Cakeshop, which also employs his sister and 87-year-old mother, is unlikely to go out of business.
He claimed had been so overwhelmed by supporters eager to buy cookies and brownies that he does not need to make wedding cakes any more.
It has been illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation since 2008 in Colorado, which legalised same-sex 'beneficiary agreements' the following year. Last year the state legalised same-sex civil unions.
However, gay marriage remains illegal in Colorado and the couple's ceremony in September 2012 was held in Massachusetts, followed by the reception at their Denver home.
The panel this week ordered Phillips to stop discriminating against gay people and to report quarterly for two years on staff anti-discrimination training and any customers he refuses to serve.
Commissioner Raju Jaram said: 'I can believe anything I want, but if I'm going to do business here, I'd ought to not discriminate against people.'
Mr Mullins said he was 'thrilled'.
'The next time a gay couple wanders in there asking for a wedding cake, they won't have the experience we had,' he said. 'They will have a responsible experience and leave feeling respected.'
The Christian baker has said he may appeal the ruling.
This commission's decision confirmed a lower court's finding in December that Phillips had violated civil rights law.
It was the end of a two-year battle which began after a furious Mr Mullins wrote a report of his encounter on Facebook.
