A Focus Group has been set up consisting of local Police and Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s Environmental Rangers, Crime Reduction Team and Bereavement Services and also GYB Services Grounds Maintenance and Street Cleansing Teams.  

The issues discussed to date include: vandalism, vagrants, drinking in cemeteries, drug abuse, dog fouling, cycling, fly tipping and overgrown shrubs and trees; also ways to make the area visitor friendly and ideas to achieve the “Respect, Dignity and Prestige” initiative.

Two meetings have already taken place at Yarmouth Police Station to discuss Yarmouth Old and New Cemeteries and also St. Nicholas Churchyard.

The group is hoping to make inroads into improving the whole area. Ideas already being discussed are the opening up of paths and walkways, clearing of brambles and other unwanted shrubs, regular removal of fly-tipping, litter picks, removal of lower growth around established trees, restoration and regeneration of existing buildings on site, reinstating fallen principal memorials, introduction of seating areas, with perhaps a visitor centre to include a coffee shop and an area for community groups to meet.

Linda Bigg, Bereavement Services Manager, said: “We are hoping that we can encourage interested parties from Historical Societies to also have an input and would encourage any such groups or others who would wish to help to make contact.

“We would like to make these cemeteries and the churchyard visitor friendly, encouraging visitors to use the areas for walks, historical guided tours etc.  The ecology of the site must be sensitively balanced, with the need to access family graves safely, geneology research, including already designated conservation areas.”

It has been agreed with Canon Michael Woods that the gates into the St. Nicholas Churchyard will be locked at the same time as those for the cemeteries, i.e. 7.00pm in the summer and 4.30pm in the winter and re-opened at 7.30am each day.

New gates will be installed at Factory Road, Town Wall Road and St Nicholas Road entrances, funded by the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.  New signage will be erected to advise visitors of these times and also to remind them that dogs are not permitted in Yarmouth Old or New Cemeteries.

For further information contact Linda Bigg, Bereavement Services Manager on 01493 441974 or email lfb@great-yarmouth.gov.uk