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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Bethan Thomas

Mourners furious after crematorium bans people from standing outside during funeral services

Mourners have criticised a ruling by a crematorium that people will no longer be allowed to stand socially distanced outside the building.

People have said they are 'disgusted' and 'angry' at the decision from Llanelli Crematorium.

Only 18 mourners are allowed inside the chapel and a further four can stand in the foyer.

Parc Gwyn Crematorium in Narberth has also confirmed it will not be allowing mourners to stand outside the crematorium and that it will be locking the gates to the grounds from today, Monday, July 6.

Llanelli crematorium (Google Maps)

That crematorium said only 12 people were permitted to attend services there, along with one officiator and one funeral director.

Mourners not invited by families had been standing outside the chapel, it said.

Carmarthenshire Council, referred to in the tweets above, said the crematorium was not a council-owned facility and that the decision was made by the crematorium management following complaints of overcrowding outside and concerns that people were not adhering to social distancing and following Welsh Government legislation.

The crematorium has said no attendance outside the chapel was currently permitted and that the rules also applied to the graveside of council-owned cemeteries for burials.

Wales Online has approached Llanelli Crematorium for comment.

With regard to the Narberth facility, a spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council added: "In order to prevent future problems of this nature and to ensure the restrictions are observed, as from Monday, 6th July, the gates to the crematorium grounds will remain locked and accessible only to the official cortege attending for funeral services."

"It is requested that no other mourners enter the grounds."

They added: "Depending upon future relaxations of restrictions, this will be reviewed to allow normal attendance as soon as possible. 

"Those people who are not mourners for a funeral but wish to visit the crematorium grounds to pay respects to their loved ones will still be able to do so but access will be controlled by intercom."

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