AN Orange Order march will take place in York next month with up to 250 members expected to parade through the city centre.

North Yorkshire Police have confirmed the event will take place on June 18.

It is understood the march will set off from Clifford’s Tower at 2pm.

The marches are a common sight on the streets of Scotland and particularly Northern Ireland, where the more controversial routes through catholic areas have led to rioting in the past.

However the organisers of the York event have assured residents the parade will pass off peacefully.

Geoff Buxton, of the Northern Provincial Grand Lodge of England, said: “This is simply because we have not paraded in York before. We have lodges in Malton, Scarborough and Leeds. It’s only going to be a short march. It’s not going to cause disruption to anybody. We all know that there are problems within the province of Northern Ireland but that doesn’t happen in England. We are not here to cause problems with anyone.”

The exact route of the York march is not yet known, though Mr Buxton said he was expecting about 250 members to attend.

Councillor James Alexander, Labour Leader elect of City of York Council, said other parades went through York each year and the council worked closely with the police to ease any disruption. He said: “Many parades and marches take place in the city that I may not personally endorse, however in a free society, organisations have a right to assemble and parade across the UK.

“My priority is to continue to build cohesion across our communities, ensuring that respect for one another is an inherent part of city life.”

The Press was contacted by one concerned York resident, who said the march could deter tourists and said the event could “open the door for opposition marches from groups which will lead to situations familiar to Glasgow or Belfast.”