Stonehaven residents and businesses have spoken of their relief after a court rejected a last-minute appeal by the Orange Order to allow a parade to take place at the weekend.
For weeks, the town has been embroiled in a battle to keep the controversial Order from marching through the streets.
The parade was to celebrate the opening of a new Orange Lodge in Stonehaven, but Aberdeenshire Council voted unanimously to block it from going ahead.
The ordeal has brought the small seaside town into the spotlight, with the majority of residents against such a parade.
Many local businesses were threatening to close on March 16 in protest if it had been allowed to go ahead.
Despite no march tomorrow, an event to mark the opening of the new lodge will go ahead as planned at the town hall.
The Order confirmed the “same numbers” will be travelling to Stonehaven as planned on marching in the parade.
Tonight, The Press and Journal was in Stonehaven to speak to business owners and residents – who said they were relieved Aberdeen Sheriff Court rejected the Order’s appeal but are still anxious about members descending on the town
Orange Walk through Stonehaven will NOT go ahead
Some business owners said their plans for opening tomorrow are ‘up in the air’ given today’s decision.
Other shops like Bucket & Spade will close for the day, while several takeaways, including the Carron Fish Bar, KVT Fried Chicken and Meydan’s confirmed they will open their doors.
One local business owner had decided, before the Orange Order debacle, that he would trial Sunday openings coming into the spring and summer.
Therefore he has decided to close his doors tomorrow, but acknowledged there was no link to the Orange Order descending on the town.
He said: “We are just trying to be a business in Stonehaven.”
Speaking to one resident who has lived in Stonehaven his whole life, he said the parade would have caused “nothing but trouble”.
He added: “I was planning to stay away from the centre if the march was going ahead. People don’t want to see it [Orange Walk] in Stonehaven.
“I’ve lived here all my days and have never seen anything like this.”
Despite the parade being called off, he says he will still keep away due to the busloads of people the Order are planning to take to Stonehaven for the lodge opening.
Another resident also said she would be keeping away.
She said: “There will be so many folks kicking about, so I will be staying well away from the town centre.”
A high-street worker said: “It’s made a lot of people unhappy.
“While it’s not been a big talking point with people who come into the store, I’ve read a lot online about it.”
A worker at Lazio Pizza on Market Square said the parade could have really hurt Stonehaven.
He said: “A lot of places were planning to close because of the walk tomorrow and that would have really affected Stonehaven.”
‘I hope everything will go along peacefully’
Local councillor Wendy Agnew said she is “delighted” with the outcome, saying it proved how important it was for the people of Stonehaven to stand up and use their voice.
She was on the committee that initially blocked the parade from taking place.
She said: “I was convinced in my reasons for refusal were sound, so I am relieved and delighted for the people of Stonehaven.
“There has been anxiety in the town since this was advertised.”
On the issue of businesses opening, Ms Agnew says she “understands” why some will choose either to open or to remain closed.
She added: “We don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. I hope everything will go along peacefully, but I do understand businesses who say ‘no we are still closing’ and there is no problem with that – they know their own business.”
