People from across Northern Ireland have been flocking to show support for a bakery facing court action in an equality case over a same-sex marriage cake.

Since the start of the court action last week, Ashers Bakery in Belfast has experienced a surge in business as regular customers have upped their visits while first-time customers have travelled for miles to purchase cakes by way of supporting the bakery owners in their conscience stance against baking a cake with a message in support of same-sex marriage.

Speaking to The Belfast Telegraph newspaper, customers have said that “we live in a time where we have to stand up for what we believe” and that Ashers “should have the choice about what they do and don’t do” and “if you don’t want to do something, you shouldn’t be forced to”.

While acknowledging that some customers stated opposition to Ashers’ stance, the newspaper reported that these were vastly outnumbered by wellwishers who had the bakery “under virtual siege” as they came to offer moral and financial support.

The outward displays of support build on a recent poll undertaken in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Christian Institute, which is backing the bakery in its case. That poll found that 71% of people believe that it was wrong of the Equality Commission to take the legal action against Ashers in the first place, while 90% believe that equality legisaltion should account for conscience and protect people from being forced to undertake actions to which they are opposed.

Meanwhile, legal arguments in the Ashers case have come to an end. District Judge Isobel Brownlie will now consider the case and render a judgement in the coming weeks.