The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland’s appeal to host an opening parade in Stonehaven has been rejected in court.
Plans to march from Stonehaven Town Hall to Dunnottar Cemetery on March 16 at 2pm to mark the opening of a new lodge were unanimously blocked by an Aberdeenshire Council committee last week.
An appeal was lodged at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, however this was rejected on Friday afternoon.
The notice of procession application sent to the local authority suggested that around 200 people were likely to take part in the march and the route was planned to pass six places of worship.
The Kincardine and Mearns area committee met on Tuesday, March 5, to consider the application. Councillors spent more than two hours considering their decision and asking questions of representatives.
An online petition launched calling for the event, described as “deeply rooted in sectarianism”, to be stopped received more than 9,800 signatures.
There were more than 100 formal objections made to the council.
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