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Maidstone to host community parade this weekend after traditional ceremony controversially axed last year

A town centre parade will be held this weekend in place of an annual procession which was controversially axed last year.

Maidstone Borough Council was widely criticised for cancelling the 2018 civic parade, usually held at the start of the mayoral year, after the 36 Engineer Regiment was not available to appear.

It has been a tradition in the County Town ever since Richard Heely became its first mayor in 1548, but Cllr David Naghi was told last May there would be no such event to commemorate him taking the robes.

Maidstone's Civic Parade has traditionally taken place in the town centre every May
Maidstone's Civic Parade has traditionally taken place in the town centre every May

However, a decision has now been made to hold a similar parade to mark the end of Cllr Naghi's year as mayor in the town on Saturday.

Representatives from chosen charities, Kent Police and Police Cadets, Royal Naval Association, the Royal British Legion, Ghurkha Veterans, RAMC Association, visiting dignitaries, councillors and council staff will all take part in the ceremony.

Live music will be performed in Jubilee Square by The Bloco Fogo Samba Band from 10.15am, before the contingents step off from the top of Earl Street at 11am and march along Week Street, turning right into the High Street.

Cllr David Naghi
Cllr David Naghi

The mayor will then take the traditional salute from the parade to the side of the Town Hall.

A horse and carriage will move down from King Street to the side of the Town Hall for the mayor and his escort to board, before the procession makes its way to All Saints Church, ready for the Civic Service at 11.30am.

Weather permitting, the carriage in use will be that of Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake, 12-times mayor and founder of the Maidstone Carriage Museum, while Acorn Carriage Hire will be providing the horses and a closed carriage in case of rain.

Some rolling road closures will be put in place between 10.30am and 12pm on the day, but will reopen once the parade has passed.

Affected areas are as follows:

  • Earl Street (junctions with Fairmeadow and Pudding Lane)
  • Week Street
  • High Street
  • King Street
  • Wyke Manor Road (junction with King Street)
  • Gabriel's Hill (junction with High Street)
  • Bank Street
  • Pudding Lane (junction with Earl Street and High Street)
  • Lower High Street (junction with High Street)
  • Mill Street
  • Bishops Way
  • Knightrider Street
  • College Road
  • Old College Horseway - road closure from 6am to 1pm
  • Jubilee Square and Bank Street - road closure from 9am to 1pm

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone

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