Council bans memorial benches after being ‘overwhelmed’ by 275 put up by households paying tribute to family members

A local council has stopped families from installing memorial benches amid concerns they are ‘overwhelming’ the town.

Hartlepool Borough Council carried out an audit after residents complained they struggled to walk between the benches in the town and that they obstructed access to wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The council found that some parts of the town were ‘overwhelmed with benches’ and that several, which are not the responsibility of the local authority, were in a poor condition.

The Labour-run council has suggested that grieving families plant trees in honour of their lost loved ones instead. 

A report found there were 115 memorial benches on the Headland, followed by Seaton Promenade with 112 and Ward Jackson Park with 48.

‘The high number of benches in some areas of the town has reached a point where it is not possible to install any more,’ the report said. 

‘Seaton Carew and the Headland in particular are overwhelmed with benches. So much so that you cannot walk between some, and in other cases they obstruct access for pushchairs and wheelchairs.’ 

The decision to stop taking applications for future memorial benches has split locals in the town.

Hartlepool Borough Council carried out an audit after residents complained they struggled to walk between the benches in the town and that they obstructed access to wheelchairs and pushchairs

Daniel Matthews, 40, said his family had dedicated a bench to their grandmother, which was in the Headland area of the town.

He said: ‘My mum and dad had a bench put up in memory of my nan who loved to look out to sea when she was alive.

‘It was a nice place to sit and pay tribute to her but the bench started falling apart and eventually had to be removed.

‘I don’t think it’s fair for the council to say Hartlepool has too many of these benches.

‘It’s a nice way to keep your memories of relatives alive.’

Meanwhile, one mother, who did not want to be named, said the benches were ‘becoming like graves rather than somewhere for people to sit on’.

‘It’s a pain to be honest having to almost slalom the pushchair around all these benches when I’m taking my toddler out.

‘Lots of these benches don’t just have a plaque either, there are sometimes photos and flowers and teddies.

The council found that some parts of the town were ‘overwhelmed with benches’ and that several benches, which are not the responsibility of the local authority, in a poor condition

The future ban also threatens the profits of Teak Garden Furniture in the town which, specialises in building memorial benches.

Owner Karl Barowsky said: ‘Many councils operate waiting lists or limit new applications due to high demand for memorial benches.

‘That demonstrates how important they continue to be to families.

‘When thoughtfully planned and positioned, memorial benches can sit comfortably within public spaces.

‘They support reflection, wellbeing and everyday community use, and they can enhance parks and town centres rather than detract from them.

‘With clear guidelines and sensible management, remembrance and shared public space can work together in a balanced way.

‘It’s very frustrating, if you go to Hartlepool town centre there are benches that have been there for years and that need replacing.

‘People will pay £400 for the bench, quite happily. I just don’t see the problem.’

A report found there were 115 memorial benches on the Headland, followed by Seaton Promenade with 112 and Ward Jackson Park with 48

Councillor Karen Oliver, Chair of the Housing, Growth and Communities Committee, said: ‘We understand that our communities want to commemorate and remember loved ones, so we acknowledge that this is a very sensitive issue.

‘However, concerns regarding the proliferation of memorial benches were voiced by a number of residents during public consultations relating to conservation areas in Seaton Carew and the Headland, and a subsequent audit found a significant number of benches, particularly in these two areas but also in other parts of the borough.

‘Some of these have fallen into disrepair over time. 

‘In some cases, benches obstruct pushchairs and wheelchairs, and they can also create challenges for the Council, making it difficult to remove litter, clean and weed paths because they are so close together.

‘I want to reassure people that we have no plans for the mass removal of benches and this is very much the beginning of a process to look at how this situation can best be addressed and, moving forward, managed in an appropriate way.

‘We aim to engage with the owners of benches, where we have ownership information, to agree on a sympathetic approach that minimises the need for the removal of benches.

‘While new applications for memorial benches have been paused until suitable future arrangements are agreed, I would point out that the council offers a number of alternative ways for people to remember loved ones.’