This summary sets out key findings from a multi-method study into the community impact of public processions in Scotland carried out in 2013. The research objectives were to identify which organisations regularly take part in processions, the aims and cultural significance of the events, the impact on communities, and factors which may contribute to, or may mitigate, the disruption of community life.

The mixed methods study included:

• Collection and analysis of local authority statistics on procession notifications from across Scotland, and analysis of police incident data for the beat areas in which the processions took place;
• Documentary analysis of relevant policies, guidelines and research reports;
• Qualitative and quantitative data collection across case-study sites selected on the basis that they hosted prominent key processions;
• Interviews and focus groups with procession organisers, procession participants and public authorities (primarily the police and local authority officers);
• Residential, street and telephone surveys with local residents in „live‟ case-study areas, both before and after selected processions;
• On-street and business mini-surveys with bystanders, supporters and local retail businesses;
• Structured and unstructured ethnographic observations of processions in live casestudy sites.

In total, extensive ethnographic research (including participant observation, formal and informal dialogue across the fieldwork sites) was carried out at 12 processions; 713 surveys and mini surveys of residents and businesses were collected across five live case-study sites (Coatbridge, Govan, Parkhead, Bridgeton and Airdrie). In addition, in-depth formal interviews were conducted with 40 respondents. Ten focus groups were carried out with key stakeholders (including police, local authority and community representatives; and members of processing organisations).

Survey responses were based on convenience sampling approaches and the statistical data explores the issue of community impact rather than measuring it in a way that is readily generalizable to specific places or broader populations. Statistical and ethnographic data form a triangulated set of research methods that examine the issue of impact on a casestudy basis, with the case-studies focussed primarily on particular processions rather than particular places. The study explores experiences and perceptions of public processions within communities, recognising that the concept of homogenous and distinct „communities‟
existing within specific geographic locales was rare.