Heartbroken daughter distraught over 'money-spinning' changes at Nottingham cemetery

Nottingham City Council has demanded that families with loved ones in the cemetery remove any items left on the floor

A heartbroken daughter has been left distraught over what she describes as "money-spinning" changes at a Nottingham cemetery. Sabrina Griffiths, 65, from Newark, and her family have been bringing flowers to her dad's grave at Wilford Hill Crematorium since his death in 2013.

The double grave, which her mother was also buried in after her death in 2020, has a small metal frame and boundary that reaches a dozen inches in front of it. However, Nottingham City Council has now demanded that families with loved ones in the cemetery remove any items left on the floor, as it claims these memorials are disrupting maintenance.

Mrs Griffiths explained she and other mourning relatives had been stunned by the sudden change in policy, as the items around her father's grave had been there for many years and had caused no issue. "They said we could have 12 inches in front of the grave to put a few flowers or whatever on," she said, recalling what council workers had told her when her dad was buried a decade ago.

"That's been fine and we look after it very well, there have been no complaints or anything until now. But in August, suddenly, we had a letter saying we can't have that area because it's a lawn area, and it has just got to be the headstone and nothing else."

Mrs Griffiths explained that council officials had said her family could buy a larger plot and pay a stonemason to put a new kerb in to place items on, but she described this as a "money spinner". She added: "We've been told that you can't have anything in the lawn area, but obviously for a price you can. They're basically robbing the dead, because they haven't got the voice to stand up for themselves.

"They're taking every bit of personality out of it. If for a price we can do it, then it obviously isn't a big problem, so it's very upsetting."

When Mrs Griffiths contacted the city council she was told they were sorry, but the rules would be put in place for everyone with relatives at the crematorium. "We just have a little frame around it and a few flowers that my mum and dad used to like on it, we haven't put anything overhanging or anything that would stop mowing.

"They might be some people that take advantage but to take all the individualism from the graves and make them look the same is absolutely disgusting." Other families with loved ones resting at the site have criticised the city council over the rule changes, which the council has warned will result in anything not cleared within two months being "removed without further notice and disposed of".

Nottingham City Council said items like flowers were permitted, but objects on the floor would soon be removed. A spokesperson said: "We understand that the graves of family members is a sensitive situation and we would only ask people to remove items from headstones if they were placed on the floor around the gravestone or if they are made of glass – which can cause injury when broken.

"Families are fine to leave items on the headstone base, especially flowers. We don’t allow items placed around the headstone on the floor because we can’t maintain the site properly.

"Everyone who has a plot there has been written to to explain the above and asked if they want to extend their grave site – so families can have a half kerb set which they can then place items within. This option was introduced to help offer further choice to families if they wish and is not compulsory in any way. With this option the cemetery grounds and burials team can still maintain access as necessary."