It could be the end of the road for Aberdeen’s historic Torcher Parade after organisers failed to get a licence for their planned date.

The parade has been organised by Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) for more than 120 years.

This year’s organiser Holly Bruce, who is head of the charities and communities group at the university, previously told the Evening Express this could be the final year for the parade as support and participation was dwindling, but she was working to bring it back to its former glory.

But members of Aberdeen City Council’s licensing committee refused AUSA’s application for a licence after the student body failed to get a traffic management scheme in place in time for the event.

The council warned organisers in November the proposed date would fall within their winter maintenance programme and as a result it could not guarantee the availability of staff.

Organisers considered shortening the route but staff could still not be guaranteed.

The floats traditionally travel along Rosemount to the West End and down Union Street but organisers say they were looking at starting it at Albyn Place instead.

Members of the committee heard from their own officials and also Police Scotland on their concerns over the proposed date of March 19.

Holly said she would go back to the AUSA committee to ask them if an alternative date of March 26 could be considered but said this year’s Torcher Parade was “looking unlikely” to happen.

Convener of the committee, Cllr Scott Carle said the council was “bending over backwards” to see the event take place.

He said: “We all want to see this a success.

“With a heavy heart I will be refusing this application on the grounds that public safety would be compromised without appropriate traffic management in place.

“We will look to work with the applicant on a subsequent application to see if March 26 would be feasible.”