Leaders aim to attract tourists to July 12 celebrationsBy Jasper Hamill
The Scottish Orange Order is to rebrand its Twelfth of July Orange Walk as a week-long cultural festival and tourist attraction.
The "OrangeFest" rebranding exercise, designed to give a gentler image to the Orange Order and remove the stigma of bigotry, drunkenness and violence historically associated with the parades, has been taken seriously enough to win support from Holyrood culture minister Frank McAveety. VisitScotland has even said it would consider the opportunities of promoting tourism on the back of a proposed "OrangeFest".
Leading Orangemen believe that turning the annual parade into a week-long festival will attract tourists to Glasgow and help educate people about the organisation.
Police, however, have poured scorn on any suggestion the event could become a tourist attraction, insisting that the "public drinking, urinating and anti-social behaviour" of its hangers-on make it unlikely to ever become an acceptable event for families and tourists.
Scotland's Grand Lodge wants to mimic Belfast's OrangeFest, which started two years ago. As well as the parade, it features rides, pop bands, dancers, and gifts and sweet stalls for children.
Speaking yesterday during the main Twelfth of July parade in Glasgow, Ian Wilson, grand master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, said: "What's happening in Belfast is very interesting. We have started talking internally about turning the Glasgow event into an Orange Week. We've been thinking what else could we do to make the week more of a celebration event. I don't mean filling the streets with more parades - we would hold things like music events."
He added: "I have never seen the Orange march in a What's on in Glasgow' publication and I think that should be changed."
The law and order problems associated with the so-called "blue-bag brigade" - the rag-tag group of men and women who follow behind the parade - is not only seen by the police as a serious problem. The Orange Order also recognises that the presence of this group, named after the off-licence bags they carry their alcohol in, hampers any attempt to rebrand the parade.
Kevin Smith, assistant chief constable at Strathclyde Police, praised the Order's willingness to work with them on anti-social behaviour but said: "I don't know what your definition of a family event is, but this is certainly not mine."
Smith added: "Parade behaviour is improving all the time but those who come to support the parade still require a police presence. The pavement walkers still view this as an opportunity to engage in public drinking, urinating and that kind of anti-social behaviour."
Glasgow's MSPs were split on the plans to rebrand the walk. McAveety suggested Orange Week could become an event woven into the multicultural fabric of Glasgow, shedding its negative connotations in the process.
He said: "If we can find a way in which people can celebrate the diversity of cultures in our country in a positive way, that's a good thing.
"Ian Wilson is trying to redefine the Order so it's not seen in the way it has been in the past. It sounds like they are having similar discussions to those they had over in Northern Ireland about de-politicising the parade week and turning it into a cultural celebration, and that's fine.
"Anything that's about respecting other people's cultures is something we can get along well with in Scotland."
Other Glasgow MSPs were less enthusiastic. Pauline McNeill, who represents Glasgow Kelvin, said: "Before they rebrand themselves, they need to behave themselves. Every year there is trouble."
The OrangeFest in Belfast, which inspired the plans, is an attempt to stage a more "user-friendly" Orange walk. This new approach has led to a noticeable increase in tourist numbers, claimed Thomas R Haire, deputy county grand master of the Orange Order in Belfast. He said it was a feat that could be "easily" replicated in Scotland.
"Before the Troubles, there were a number of Roman Catholics who came out to watch the parade, but because of people putting political pressure on them during the Troubles they were afraid to come out," Haire said. "We want those people back."
Glasgow is already filled with festivals, covering everything from books to Asian culture. Any proposition for a new event in the "packed calendar" would be considered on its own merits, according to tourist body VisitScotland.
A spokesman said: "We would look to discuss the opportunities. If there is a tourist element to it, there is always a chance to talk about it."
More than 12,000 people took part in the walk in Glasgow, with a similar number marching in Larkhall. Last night, Strathclyde Police confirmed so far there had been 35 arrests in Glasgow and 23 in Larkhall for a variety of offences. More than 200 others have been issued with fixed penalty tickets for drinking or urinating in public.
