Public processions, marches and parades licences

21 October 2024

If you intend to hold a public procession, march or parade in East Ayrshire you must submit a notice of proposal to hold a public procession to our Licensing Section, 28 days in advance.   The 28 day notification requirement may only be waived in exceptional circumstances. Licensing work closely with  Police Scotland to ensure that these events are organised in a safe manner and cause minimal disruption and inconvenience.

Your notification must give details of the date, time, route and estimated number of people taking part in the procession. You must also submit a public procession risk assessment, which is attached as part of the notification process.

How to submit a notification

If you wish to make a notification, please complete our  notice of proposal to hold a public procession and risk assessment form (PDF 352 KB).

You must also agree and adhere to the code of conduct.

Details of notification

To ensure that communities are aware of public processions, marches and parades in their area, we will publish details of all applications on our website. These details are also forwarded to all organisations on our opt-in list.

  View details of public processions applied for, pending and decisions taken.

Concerns about a parade or march

If you have any concerns about a parade or march taking place you can make representations.

Information about how to make a representation can be found below in our guidance notes: 

Guidance notes on how to make representations

Under current Human Rights law, everyone has the right to freedom of assembly and of association. When considering a Notification for a public procession, we will take these rights into consideration but we will also look at the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Our aim is to strike a reasonable balance between protecting the fundamental right of individuals and organisations to organise and take part in public processions, and the need to minimise disruption to the wider community by protecting the rights of all of East Ayrshire’s citizens to go about their business without unnecessary disturbance and interference.

We also keep an opt-in list to make sure that anyone who asks for details of processions to be held in their area can receive the appropriate information to allow them to plan better and work around any problems which could be caused by the procession. Community Councils are on the opt-in list. If you would like to be included in the opt-in list, please contact the Licensing Section using the details below.

How to make representations

If you wish to make representations about a proposed public procession you may do so in writing to the Licensing Section by the deadline date. We consider the effect that the public procession would have on public safety, public order, damage to property and the disruption to the life of the community when deciding whether to prohibit the holding of a procession or impose conditions on it.

How to know if the public procession is taking place

We will publish on our website a list of all notifications that have been received for public processions, marches and parades that are being processed, including a deadline for representations. We will also publish a list of public processions that have been processed, those that have been refused, cancelled or withdrawn.

All public processions, marches and parades require to comply with the Code of Conduct, which can be accessed as a download. Where we have made an Order to add extra conditions, this will be published on our website.

How to contact us

By post:

Licensing Section
East Ayrshire Council
Council Headquarters
London Road
Kilmarnock
KA3 7BU

By telephone: 07788 252697

By e-mail: licensing@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Contact Information

Licensing Board Administration
London Road
Kilmarnock
East Ayrshire
KA3 7BU
Telephone: 07557 168826
Email: licensing@east-ayrshire.gov.uk