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William Purves Funeral Directors
Address: 106 Whitehouse Loan, Edinburgh. Find out where their branches are on their website.
Phone: 0131 447 5858 Email: info@williampurves.co.uk Web: www,williampurves.co.uk
Funeral Director/s: William Purves is a 5 generations-old business with eight branches serving Edinburgh and the Lothians. The problem often with ancient family run businesses like this is that they too often sink into a somewhat self-important rut, feel they have nothing to learn and are often run by family members who have inherited none of the vocational zeal of their ancestors. Such is emphatically not the case with William Purves. Here we have an energetic, forward looking and above all, superbly classy outfit run by descendant Tim Purves. After studying sport science at university Tim spent a couple of years travelling. But, all the while, the family business called him back – and here he is. When not working, Tim continues to enjoy sport of most sorts – football, cycling, snowboarding. And he is involved in his local church. Head office in a superb building in central Edinburgh with a ceremony space which can accommodate 40 for a small funeral. Plenty of car parking. Superb website.
Specific Gravity: If it’s a traditional funeral you want, look no further. They are completely at home in frock coats and top hats here – very well turned out, with properly polished shoes, all too rare in today’s funeral industry. And they have a very nice E-Class Mercedes hearse and fleet of limousines. If it is something more downbeat you prefer, they have a Mercedes estate and an Audi estate, and they can offer you the full range of alternative hearses. They will also willingly modify their attire in line with your wishes should you want a less than ultra-formal funeral.
What’s important? Just one funeral director will look after you from the first meeting through to the funeral. This means you receive a high level of personal service from someone with whom you develop a relationship of trust. This makes Purves different from most other funeral directors in your area where you would be looked after by an arranger and might not meet your funeral director until the day of the funeral – an essentially impersonal modus operandi.
What’s different? The distinguishing feature of William Purves is the calibre of its staff. It’s not that they do anything radically different from any other funeral director, it’s just that they tend to do it better and more intelligently. They listen to you carefully and make sure they understand what you want. They give you all the time you need. People who use William Purves come back.
Services: Your first call will be answered by receptionist. Thereafter, you will be put straight through to your funeral director. Yes to a home visit. Yes to you coming in and laying out and dressing the person who has died. They are very keen on embalming here because, they reckon, it gives you a much better experience when you come to visit the person who has died. They will discuss this with you and, of course, if you don’t want it, that’s perfectly all right. They will gladly work with those who wish to care for their dead at home. Experienced in working with families from all ethnic and religious groups.
Remarks: Well run, intelligent and classy – and not as expensive as you might think. In an area in which the big corporate funeral directors have a near stranglehold, it is good to see an independent business like William Purves not only thriving, but at a level several notches higher than the rest.
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