Cremations to restart in Eyemouth

The project is expected to start on June 1, with completion anticipated by late August, barring unforeseen circumstances.

During the installation period, Houndwood Crematorium will accommodate one service a day at 11.30am on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the crematorium will close at 12.30pm.

The crematorium will also be closed on Fridays and at weekends.

Houndwood Crematorium, which is operated by end-of-life services provider, Dignity, expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation shown by local residents and funeral directors throughout the prolonged period of disruption.

The lack of a working cremator has meant that cremations have been taking place at Dignity-operated Holytown Crematorium before ashes are returned to families.

Irene McCluskey, business leader at Houndwood Crematorium and Holytown Crematorium, said: “Our priority is to provide the highest quality facilities and service standards to ensure families have a space to celebrate the life of their loved ones and a peaceful place to reflect.

“However, upon acquiring the crematorium in 2017, Dignity found that the previously-installed cremation equipment and filtration systems did not meet the company’s standards and had to be removed as they were unreliable and potentially dangerous.

“Delays beyond the control of the company, including the impact of the pandemic and a cyber attack at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) that resulted in the loss of vital documents, contributed to the prolonged duration of the disruption.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that the installation work is carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible, with minimal disruption to our operations and those of our clients.

“Anyone with any questions or concerns can contact us at [email protected].”