Pay fee or lose memorial plaque, says council

Town clerk Helen Ball says the benches are crumbling and need to be replaced

Owners of memorial plaques on benches in Shrewsbury have been told they must pay to stop them being removed.

Fifteen of the 130 benches in Shrewsbury's Quarry Park have had signs placed on them urging owners to decide whether they want to "renew arrangements".

The town council said a 10-year bench maintenance deadline expired some time ago, but confirmed there was no record of who bought plaques before 2009 when the authority was established.

Town clerk Helen Ball denied it was a money-making exercise, and said a new bench and plaque would cost families between £1,300 and £1,400.

Attempts have been made to find the owners of the memorial plaques

She added that if the fee was not paid, the seat and plaque would be removed and those on a waiting list will be offered the chance to buy a new bench.

The notice gives owners of the benches four weeks, until 22 September, to decide what they want to do.

Ms Ball said around half of the owners had been in touch since the signs went up on Monday; with some wanting to pay the maintenance fee, others deciding not to.

She said some of the benches are 20 to 25 years old and need replacing.

"It was never a money-making issue," she said.

"We have a huge waiting list of people wanting a memorial bench in the heritage park, which is considered the jewel in Shrewsbury's crown."

Having a memorial bench is a way of remembering an individual and also a good way of funding park benches, she said.

There is a list on the town council website of the bench owners the authority is trying to contact.