… 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?

I'm surprised that they've got permission to expand with these condtions. The premises don't sound suitable for the scale that they're working at.

Death and morbid stuff doesn’t bother me but I wouldn’t want to see body bags multiple times a week.

I'm in the funeral industry and have been to lots of different set ups. It's hard to know if what you are describing is bad practice or not.

If you think about it logically a lot of funeral homes are on high streets mixed in with shops so that families can access them easily especially the elderly who use public transport. Some of them have been there for generations.

The problem is the rear entrance of them often is overlooked in some way usually by flats in the shops, the industry practice is to park as close as they can and be a discrete as possible.

I would initially speak to them. The rubbish isn't good and definitely needs sorting.

I think it's the manouvering. So the street is wide enough to drive a hearse (or fire engine) down but not wide enough for the hearse to back into the yard space of the funeral parlour to unload bodies, so they are parking up in the public road and unloading from there.

Given that they've been there, next to you, for quite a while, and they know it's your car, I'm assuming you know them.

Have you tried having a conversation with them?

Perhaps plant a seed about them needing bigger premises..

Do they belong to a professional association such as the NAFD? If so you could complain to the association.

Actually yes. I would assume as part of their business planning, they would have a discreet way of delivering bodies to the parlour, so not to put other people at regular discomfort.

That’s a really good point about the planning permission - I’ll check that. There’s a back yard at the back of the shop which faces onto the cut through and up the back alley where my house is (assume the yard where they used to unload?) but I think the new large hearse problem is that they’re too long to be able to turn into the yard - which is why they now park in the alley and cause the problem…

This on its own would be a problem, but there’s just too many unprofessional things about the whole set up - bins, unloading, no parking. Unfortunately I called environmental heath about the bins and they basically said all the streets are a mess and they’ll add my complaint to the list…

You can get seagull proof bags e.g.on Amazon (they often use them in seaside towns).

What did they do before the expansion when they had less space? Did they have a different area to take the bodies through? Why has the expansion changed how they used to do it?

Sorry not being facetious just trying to understand how a side expansion has changed the space in front or behind the building.

YANBU. They've planned their expansion poorly and it's having a negative impact on the neighbouring residents. I certainly wouldn't be moving my car. I'd also be complaining to my councillor about the rubbish.

Where do you think they keep the hearses and funeral cars? OP is this something the local paper might take up?

Thr rubbish is definitely a problem! Ask for it to be escalated
Them asking you to move a legally parked vehicle is also unfair imo.
I don’t like that they’re carrying body bags in the street. Doesn’t seem appropriate to me. Surely they have a drive or garage entrance for that? Yes it’s a part of life but it’s not discreet or respectful to the dead to be carried out in a bag publicly!

I wouldn’t particularly like to live so close to a funeral directors, especially because of the rubbish. That could be a health hazard, depending on what it is.

But I respectfully disagree with those who feel that body bags should never be seen on the street, as I think there’s often no alternative.

I wouldn’t be happy about the rubbish. Have you approached the business owner/staff to explain that is a problem? That would be the first thing to do, before complaining to the council. Most businesses will not want to piss off their neighbours. On the matter of taking bodies, in body bags, inside, that is their business. There is nothing else they could do. They are taking care of this aspect of their work at the back, just avoid taking your children around the back. It seems you are unhappy that they have expanded the business in the absence of a totally private ‘unloading area’, but they have, so you will have to suck it up, or move house.

“With bodies in!”

Come on OP, a body bag isn’t the most terrifying sight (and I’ve seen my fair share). If you don’t want your youngest to know what’s in the bag just don’t tell her. This really isn’t a big deal.

OP I’m a police officer and I’ve seen more than my fair share of dead bodies and some of them in very advanced states of decomposition. I wouldn’t feel great about seeing body bags being unloaded. I wouldn’t want to be repeatedly reminded of that aspect of life - there will be some very tragic tales attached to those people and I don’t really want to think about it in my home. Whether you can do anything is another matter but I do understand it.

Have you looked up the company on companies house. See who the owners are.

Exactly. Plus they’re using a shared alley as if it’s theirs.

If you're parked up legally and they ask you to move, tell them no and walk away.... Alternatively you could tell them you can't move you car for the next few hours because you've been on a bender....

Absolutely so.
We lived near a Funeral Parlour when I was a child {It's still there} and they have a pair of high gates that the Private Ambulance drives into.
Never ever saw them removing a body from a vehicle.
I do think it should be done in Private, out of public view.

It’s good for them that their business has been successful and that they’ve expanded, but they’ve clearly outgrown these premises. Maybe encountering more access issues ie you and other neighbours declining to move your cars will make them realise that for themselves. Or a relative complaining about the wholly undignified body bag aspect if they were to get wind of it.

@CoralQuoter are you meaning that they ask you to move your parked car so that they can park the hearse?? that would be a big fat no from me!! when they knock at your door, always take a glass of wine with you when you answer it!! cannot drive then!

This is so mad.

I was reading your post and I thought this sounds like what my colleague was telling me about a few weeks back and then I saw your area. I'm guessing its the same business (although I don't know the name of it.)

I wouldn't like to live by it or see it to be honest. Plus I'm not sure your house would sell either if this isn't resolved. No way I'd buy one, even if it was just about having to move your car.

Which also means in order to run their business they are relying on regularly blocking an access route. You definitely need to mention this to the planners as that’s not acceptable.

If you Google ‘council name planning applications and put in your post code you will see all info and drawings available if they’ve made an application. Either way phone the planners.

In terms of the rubbish any mention of private gardens, small kids and rats usually does the trick with Environmental Health. They have a duty of care to write to the offending property and get them to clear the rubbish if it’s causing infestation.