Every year we celebrate the best of the funeral industry with the Good Funeral Awards. There isn’t a ‘Worst Crematorium of the Year” award but if there was such an accolade, we have a strong contender.
Introducing our readers to West London Crematorium, as photographed on Thursday 30th June 2016.
Decaying curtains, stained carpets, seating you wouldn’t want to sit on, general disrepair and so much more.
Shoddy’s a good word. As is lazy. So is unacceptable. All befit the state of this crematorium.
Our question: Is this the worst crematorium in Britain? It’s over to you.
West London Crematorium
Kensal Green, Harrow Road, London, W10 4RA
Owned and managed by the General Cemetery Company
W: http://www.kensalgreencemetery.com/crematorium/index.html
Cost of cremation: £650
Ed’s note – we’ve contacted the General Cemetery Company and asked for a response. We’ll keep you updated.
Full disclosure – I took the photographs below when I returned to the crematorium to look for my lost book of funeral poetry, the day after taking a service in the West Chapel.
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- The car park
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- Entrance foyer
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- Entrance foyer
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- Stained chairs in the entrance foyer
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- Floral artwork in the ‘water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- ‘Water dispenser’ room
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- West Chapel catafalque
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- Meringue like curtains descend around the catafalque in the West Chapel
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- West Chapel
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- Stained carpets in the West Chapel
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- Taking a moment of reflection in the ‘magnificent atrium’
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- Do not sit here – atrium
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- Entrance to the East Chapel
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- East Chapel entrance hall
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- East Chapel
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- East Chapel
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- The curtains in the East Chapel
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- East Chapel
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- The catafalque in the East Chapel
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- The ceiling of the East Chapel
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- Curtains in need of a wash, East Chapel
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- Why are they still here? East Chapel
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- East Chapel
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- Stained carpet, East Chapel
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- Don’t look up, East Chapel
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- What is this? Glazed atrium
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- The roof of the ‘magnificent’ glazed atrium
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- The floor of the glazed atrium
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- Flower terrace debris
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- East Chapel side passage
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- The roof of the East Chapel side passage
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- A temporary memorial plaques
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- A temporary memorial plaques
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- What happened here?
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- What happened here?!
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- The state we’re in
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- Cracked memorial plaque
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- Memorial plaques
Thanks to everyone who has commented and shared their experiences of West London Crematorium.
I’m pleased to let you know that the crematorium has a new manager who is doing what he can to improve things. Whilst it’s still a work in progress, it’s not quite as bad as it was at the time of this post.
Photo update coming soon (if they don’t throw me in the cremator!)
I’m going to the press regarding this place of horrors.
Geez, talk about being unprofessional. The word disgusting fits this place perfectly.
I am totally disgusted with the state of the West London crematorium and cemetery at Kensal Green. I have loved ones in both and have struggled to find graves due to the state of the grass being knee high, not only is this a health and safety issue for the vunerable and elderly, it shows a total disrespect to the deceased and their families. Shame on the people who currently claim to manage the company. It’s a total disgrace.loved ones memorials being stacked in piles with absolutely no respect for the feelings of family and friends. The crematorium is filthy,… Read more »
I haven’t worked there for a while (fortunately) but I remember hostile staff & a lack of respect for families’ choices. And I guess because it’s well known (as Kensal Green) people keep using it.
The place is a disgrace. The cost of a grave is now £12,200
What are they doing with the income. Nobody cares anymore
The shareholders should be ashamed
That is terrible…its so sad
I haven’t been for a couple of years, it wasn’t great then, and the entrance is confusing, parking challenging, but it seems to have deteriorated noticeably. I do recall the chapel staff were friendly.
I look at that and see a dismal place where the staff must feel as bad as that place looks…it needs an injection of pride, appreciation and investment.
Lol, not enough hippy chic and cups of tea for you? Funerals are miserable, this place reflects that
Perhaps it’s not about whether funerals are miserable or hippy chic, perhaps it’s about whether the owners, staff and customers feel that they are being best served there. If all funerals are miserable wouldn’t you rather be ‘miserable’ in a clean and cared for environment? Misery should not equal contempt.
What would G.K. Chesterton make of this? I doubt that any thought of gateway to Paradise would come to mind…