Council to close two Plymouth chapels

All bereavement services to take place at The Park

Plymouth City Council is proposing to stop bereavement services at two crematoriums, but will still allow burials and interment of ashes to take place there.

It follows the opening in August of a new 17-acre £28 million new crematorium at Plympton called The Park which offers a “higher quality of customer experience”.

The council’s housing and community services scrutiny panel heard there had been no bookings for cemetery space at Weston Mill and Efford since the new facility opened.

Old Victorian chapels will be closed, subject to a public consultation, as they are no longer “fit for purpose”, cabinet member for cemeteries and crematoria Cllr Sally Haydon (Lab, St Budeaux) said.

But people would still be able to visits the graves, toilets would remain open, and a Book of Remembrances available.

Cllr Haydon said the old buildings were not suitable for disabled people and took a day to warm up. But she said the land, which has more than 400 war graves, would be looked after “to the highest standard” .

Some people preferred to be buried or have their ashes laid with their loved ones at Weston Mill or Efford, and that would continue.

“It’s just the chapels that will be closing and all the services will take place at The Park,” she said.

The new crematorium has three ceremony rooms, catering for 120, 80 and 12 people, two rooms for wakes, a licensed bar and a public cafe.

Extra details have been added including modular, movable seating for accessibility, a rise-and-fall lectern, a colour-wash wall (the first in the country), customisable lighting, and an undercover flower view area.

There are also dedicated memorial spaces including a children’s memorial area.

The Park has held more than 300 funeral services and 51 functions and feedback had been positive, the scrutiny panel was told.

The new crematorium is expected to reduce energy and maintenance costs and bring in more income.

‘Customers’ -as mourners are referred to by the council – had been impressed by the attention to detail where families ‘wishes are accommodated, councillors were told.

Cllr Haydon said the crematorium is a result of “cross-party working at its best.”

Cllr Patrick Nicholson (Ind, Plympton St Mary) stressed the need to address public transport to the site for people who wanted to visit their loved ones’ memorials in the future.

“There will be a flow of people visiting the graves,” he said. “It’s the accessibility of the facility after the funeral that we need to think about. Could there be a subsidised bus service?”

He also said the cafe should be advertised independently of the crematorium as it is open seven days a week.

He was told that bus routes are being looked into to see if they are financially viable.

Councillors said it is important that Weston Mill and Efford crematoriums look the same after services stop as they don’t want “boarded-up buildings”.

An open day at The Park is expected to be held next spring.