Worcester City Council relocates crematorium services for refurb

Worcester City Council has announced that funeral services will temporarily move to the KGV Community Hub while the city’s crematorium on Astwood Road will undergo a nine-month refurbishment. 

The council has confirmed that from 4 August, services will be held at the hub in Ash Avenue, seven minutes’ walk from Astwood Cemetery which will remain open during the refurbishment. Burials will continue there and at St John’s Cemetery, and ashes may still be scattered in the garden of remembrance at Astwood. 

Cremations will be carried out at Redditch Crematorium, with ashes returned to the KGV Hub for collection unless families make other arrangements with their funeral director.

Four services will be held daily at the hub. Worcester Community Trust, which manages the venue for the council, will continue to run community activities there in the evenings and at weekends.

The refurbishment will include replacing gas-fired cremators with more energy-efficient electric models and other improvements.

The memorial wall plaques on the outside of the crematorium will not be accessible during the works. The council is contacting families whose loved ones are commemorated on the plaques.

Cllr Zoe Cookson, chair of Worcester City Council’s environment committee, said: “Generations of Worcester people have said farewell to their loved ones at Astwood Crematorium and we wanted to keep the level of disruption to a minimum during the essential refurbishment works.

“With the KGV Community Hub only a short distance from the crematorium, we hope that this reduces any inconvenience caused by these temporary arrangements.”

She added: “The council’s bereavement services team are working hard to ensure that arrangements and facilities are in place at the KGV Hub to create the appropriate atmosphere for grieving families to pay their respects.”