The organisers of Bathgate Procession have admitted they will have to change the name of the event back to the original.
Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival was changed to Bathgate Procession and Community Festival due to Newland's links to the slave trade.
But the committee has admitted it has jumped the gun and has not gone through the proper process.
In a Facebook post its directors also said any donations made under the new name would now have to be refunded.
It continued: "The events last week put the members and directors of Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival CIC under intense pressure to remove the name of John Newland from our event name.
"Without due consideration to the rules noted in our articles of association, we took an electronic vote to change the name.
"On reflection, and in line with the articles of association, the company cannot change the name until a properly constituted meeting of the company has taken place.
"The very earliest such a meeting can take place is September 2020. At that time, the company will examine the options and implications and taking the public comments into consideration, carefully consider the best way forward for Bathgate Procession.
"As volunteers, we wish to do the best for the community. We accept that our action to vote and publicly announce a change in name was far too hasty, but believe that some change is necessary. We ask at this time for your support and allow the company time to fully investigate, legally, the best way forward.
"Anybody who made a donation on the strength of the name change may request a refund by emailing bathgateprocessionmediateam@gmail.com using the email address they used to make the donation. We aim to make a refund within seven days."
The Courier reported this week how organisers of the event had changed its name after pressure from an online petition.
John Newland had links to slavery and the petition, which had over 1000 signatures, called for his name to be removed from the celebration following the death of George Floyd in America.
