… 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?

The rubbish thing is bad but RE the funeral services you are being a but of a busybody. They have a job to do, and a very important one at that. I doubt the deceased relatives give a stuff if you are squeamish. It’s not like the corpse is visible.

Not parking where I’ve always parked for the last 12 years because they’ve expanded their commercial business without considering where they will park their cars?

I take your point on the kids being respectful, obviously I’ve explained what’s happening to them (age appropriately, DD is 4) and I’d clamp down pretty quickly on DS commenting at volume in the street but it does bother him a bit to see - I think that’s fairly normal, even if “creepy” isn’t the best word to use even at home.

I’ve no objections to living next to a funeral parlour (have done for 12 years!) but I do object to the fact they are now too big to operate discreetly, or dispose of rubbish correctly, and have bought two hearses they don’t have room to manoeuvre….

I think it's incredibly disrespectful to peoples deceased loved ones being carried about on the street in front of people's house. They still deserve privacy and dignity.

And I also think it shows how careless and unprofessional they are leaving rubbish out to be ripped open by seagulls.

What would they do if you weren't around to move your car, if you'd gone out, were on holiday or busy doing something else? Do they just wait around for whoever is parked on the end to move?

It doesn't sound like they have thought it through at all.

If they can drive in then they can back out (or vice versa).

OP it does sound difficult. What do your other neighbours make of it?
do you think the owners of the funeral parlour are reasonable enough to open dialogue with?

“ Just a deceased person “

Ever the empathetic person you.

Fuck me 🙄🙄🙄🙄

I live next door to a funeral parlour and I have never seen them unload body bags. When we moved here it was just a shop. Then when the shop closed down the undertakers bought it. They said the main attraction for them was vehicle access to the rear with a large enclosed courtyard. So everything is done there, totally private. It’s a shame your local one wasn’t more thoughtful when choosing a premises but seeing as they’re there what else can they do if there’s no other method of doing it more privately? But I agree it seems disrespectful.

It sounds like they have expanded too much, and the loading/unloading area isn't fit for purpose.

Have you spoken to the company directly about the rubbish?

I don’t think they were being unempathetic as such, just more like trying to be practical…..that it’s nothing spooky or to be scared of.

I think it is disrespectful if they are unloading body bags in public view. That’s not a normal way to operate and, between that, the parking issue, and the bins, I would worry what other corners were being cut.

If it has expanded did the additional space require pp/change of use? If so there may be operational conditions applied. Report the rubbish to environmental health.

This. It’s not dignified. If in body bags the bodies should be loaded and unloaded in private. It sounds like they’ve overexpanded and their premises are no longer suitable.

I've already posted that as a widow, I would absolutely NOT want my husband body unloaded in this way. I'd expect any funeral directors vehicle to pass through gates before bringing out the body bag of someone recently deceased.

I mean this is what we are all wondering. 🤔

edited cis of a typo.

How's the hearse bigger? I thought they are all long enough for a coffin and wide enough to take bearers and flowers the new ones seem taller?

I'd find this upsetting. I know death is normal and some people can be stoic about it all but seeing body bags every day I'd really struggle, especially if any were obviously children/babies. Also agree with those who say it's not dignified.

I really can't picture the layout without a diagram here...

I would check that you do have permission to park a vehicle on the back alley before kicking off about that.

I don't understand how an ambulance (not far off the same length as a hearse) and a fire appliance could get down but a hearse can't. All have a reverse gear...

The bins, complain to the council, I can't quite see what they'd be throwing out, that can go in the normal rubbish collection vs hazardous waste, that is causing such an issue but it sounds like they need a proper commercial big bin.

The funeral parlour has been there before op says it's just bigger.

That does sound a bit off. Like they took over an extra building without thinking the logistics through. Surely one photo of the branded hearses or ambulances and body bags being carted up narrow public streets would cause some sort of minor scandal?
There should be no need to show body bags to the general public, except maybe in a very exceptional circumstance where there's been a murder in the middle of a public street.
I've seen people commit suicide in front of me and even I don't want to see a body bag on the way to get my morning pint of milk.

Have you been in to talk to them?

I think that you need to say to them what you have said on here.

1. we are concerned that they are unloading body bags in public.
2. they ahve taken over the back road so we can no longer park, this was not an issue for 8 years and now is and we will no longer move our cars to accommodate the hearse, it shouldn't be there, we should not have to do that .
3. rubbish bags are attracting seagulls and rats and they need to organise better refuse storage etc.

A polite conversation may get you quite a long way, no business wants to upset the locals. If that doesn't work then put it in writing and take it up wiht the council.

This. It should not be handled in public view.

Your council is completely disinterested in this aspect?

Can you shame the funeral home on social media, with photos and video?

YANBU OP!
Body bags aside, they have no right to ask anybody to move cars from a public road! They don't own it. And if I were you I'd start putting my foot down and say no. Also put in formal complaints about them.
The type of premise you mention really isn't suitable for their business but also, a body bag isn't something you expect to see daily. It's extremely disrespectful and somewhat disturbing for them to be unloading it in public like that.

I see what you are saying but it was a little insensitive in the way it was written.

We may parade bodies through the street but that is at a funeral, with the families consent not lugging their body in a bag for all the street to see.

My Dad died last year and I would have hated this for him, how disrespectful.