… to object to the funeral parlour unloading body bags at the end of my street?

[CoralQuoter]

There’s a row of shops at right angles to our street, where the back entrances face onto a small cut through road and the back alley between rows of houses. One of these shops is a funeral parlour, which has recently expanded. They now park two massive hearses in the shared alley, and frequently ask us to move our car so they can fit the hearse through the narrow road if we park there (it’s a public street and the only way we can access the back of our house) They also load and unload body bags (with bodies in!) from the back of the private ambulance in the public street, and my DD4 asks what’s in the bags, which is… not a fun chat? My DS11 hates it and won’t walk round the back as its “too creepy”. Not only this, but they leave bags of rubbish out on the street which the seagulls get into and encourage rats. I’ve tried complaining to the council, but they say the only thing they can do is “register my complaint” with the bin collection service. AIBU to think a small terrace shop isn’t the place to run a funeral parlour from, especially if there’s no room to privately unload body bags?

Whats in the rubbish bags thats so attractive to seagulls?

How long has it been there? I can't see that appealing to customers - a bit undignified. Usually they go out of their way to be discrete.

I would object to rubbish bags and rats, definitely.

The bodies in bags, no I would not mind, they are just a deceased person and someone’s relative, as we all will be. I do not find it creepy but it’s just how you look at it I suppose.

The rubbish should be in the bins and disposed of properly.

but you are being unreasonable about the using the business premises for the business.

also if your parking means a hearse can’t get through it also means emergency services can’t so probably not a wise way to park anyway.

Can’t see the problem with the body bags. Would you rather they just sling the body over their shoulder. Death is part of life and we shouldn’t shy away from it.

I wouldn't want to live that close to a funeral parlour but I don't really see what they're doing wrong. I'd say using the back entrance is discrete and not particularly public. Were you not aware of the funeral parlour when you moved in?

It’s the length of the hearses that’s the problem - you can get an ambulance through if cars are parked next to the houses, but the hearses can’t turn unless the whole thing is clear - bit hard to explain! (Should have done a diagram!)

So a fire engine wouldn’t be able to get through then.

I think that’s it - it feels undignified to be unloading peoples bodies in the middle of the street - most funeral homes have parking and places you drive into I think, rather than a converted shop alley - they’ve basically knocked two yards together at the back of a shop, but the space isn’t big enough to get a van or hearse in. I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t so public - it’s the fact there’s no infrastructure for the expansion - which is possibly also why the bins are overflowing. It wasn’t a problem til they expanded - we’ve lived here over 12 years!

Where are they supposed to operate then? You are definitely not unreasonable to complain about their rubbish disposal causing a nuisance, but the loading and unloading bags? Meh. Good opportunity to talk to your child about something important in life- obviously in an age appropriate way - but something like after people have lived their life, they go there and those nice people look after them.

I need a diagram

YANBU about rubbish bags attracting rats and ravaging sea gulls- the business should use an appropriate large bin for their rubbish bags. I would keep filing complaints with the council with photo evidence.

YABU about the fact one of the businesses is a funeral parlour doing funeral parlour things. It’s a bit like buying a house behind a pub and then complaining of drunks and music late at night. You had your chance when choosing to rent/buy your home not to live by one.

It could get through but not turn around - I’m not explaining this well! It’s a cuthrough road and there’s just the shops between it and the main road - the parking isn't an access issue, and never has been - it’s just since the expansion and the two (new) big hearses that they’ve been asking us to move the car - been here 12 years and had no problems.

I would not have wanted my late husband's body pulled out into the public street. I expected him to be treated with respect.

I used to work in a funeral home that was part of a chain and all our premises had a garage or yard that the private ambulance could get in to unload the deceased. I find it a bit disrespectful that this place is unloading in a public road in full view. They should have thought of the logistics as part of their expansion.

This.

Photograph and contact enviromental health

Also, if it's a public street with no restrictions then you have every right to park there and shouldn't feel pressured into moving your car. Don't let them guilt you because they're hearses.

I’ve lived here 12 years and funeral parlour has been here for at least 8 - it’s not been a problem until they expanded recently (don’t know if it’s new owners or just investment). Proximity to funeral home doesn’t bother me - it’s the expansion and lack of supporting infrastructure for the bins/hearse turnaround and presumably lack of space to discreetly unload bodies!!

I am assuming when you say they are taking in body bags they are not slinging them over their shoulder or dragging them along the ground, they are being respectfully moved on a trolley.

Living next to the parlour gives you a chance to explain to your dc about respect, something missing in many children today, explain these are peoples loved ones, and discourage words like “creepy”. That would include not parking where you know it will cause an issue and delay the transfer of the deceased into the parlour.

Yes, complain about the rubbish if it is theirs and it is attracting scavengers/vermin.

The other option is to move if living near a parlour makes you uncomfortable.

I don’t understand the issue with the bodies within anonymising opaque body bags, being handled gently from ambulances as being indiscreet or disrespectful. We parade bodies in their coffins in hearses with windows through these same streets.

Shouldn't they have industrial bins rather bin bags left out for normal household waste?

Is this in the Sutton area?

No, outskirts of Manchester.

Imagine trying to sell your house with that going on though.