PARADES COMMISSION REJECT DERRY PARADE APPEAL

THE appeal by the City of Londonderry Orange Lodge against the decision to ban the majority of its parade on 12 July has been rejected by the Parades Commission.

The decision, released on Tuesday evening, followed a request by the Orange Order for a review of the original parade determination.

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission ruled on Friday 6 July that only one lodge from the Fountain, and a local band, would be allowed to parade in the Cityside area but not near the Diamond.

Their initial ruling was made after the Orange Order refused to take part in talks with the Bogside Residents Group, who are in opposition to the parade.

This decision was upheld despite Orange Order submissions that the route be changed.

The final decision permits only the Britannia Orange Lodge and one band to march from the Fountain to the Craigavon Bridge via Wapping Lane before rejoining the main parade across the bridge.

The Britannia Lodge will also be the only lodge permitted to return to the Fountain through the Cityside area on the return march. The rest of the parade will be restricted to the Waterside.

Meanwhile, the Parades Commission has refused to overturn its decision to allow two Orange feeder parades to pass the retail outlets in the nationalist area of Ardoyne in North Belfast. (AMcE)