Fury over £8k replacement memorial bench quote

Jennie Warren said she does not know how Torbay Council can justify the price

A woman has blasted a Devon council for charging £8,000 for a replacement memorial bench in memory of beloved relatives.

Jennie Warren said the bench was installed in Brixham in 2003 after her brother Peter died aged 40 and then a plaque for her parents Bill and Lucy was added. It was removed by Torbay Council when it was vandalised two-and-a-half years ago.

The 76-year-old said she had now been told a replacement bench would cost her a "crazy" price of £8,000 - and it have would cost £12,000 if the bench was in Torquay.

The council said it offered a range of memorial bench options and its policy ensured a bench's "longevity and maintenance".

Jennie Warren and her parents had the bench installed after her brother Peter died

Ms Warren said she still had the three plaques dedicated to each of her relatives and the foundation for the bench was still in place.

She said she had been speaking to the council since October 2022 about getting a replacement but the price eventually quoted by the authority was "beyond belief" and she did not know how the council could explain it.

She said: "I think they need to review the pricing because it is absolutely ridiculous. There is no way they can justify that kind of money."

Peter Warren died at the age of 40

In comparison, Cornwall Council charges £2,125 for a 4ft (1.2m) garden bench and plaque for 20 years.

In Somerset, the price for an eco-bench and plaque for 25 years is £1,542, while a 5ft (1.5m) memorial bench and plaque at Weymouth Crematorium in Dorset costs £1,067 for 10 years.

Meanwhile, a similar memorial bench in Westminster City Council would cost £1,625.

Plaques for Bill and Lucy Warren were added to the bench following their deaths

The council said it had paused its memorial bench policy in 2022 as part of a comprehensive review of its services.

It said following the review, it had decided to enhance the quality of memorial benches offered.

The council said its pricing ranged from £550 for a plaque on a shared bench to £12,000 for a 25-year sponsorship of an exclusive bench in "premium" locations.

"The pricing includes the cost of a composite plastic bench, ground preparation, installation, the plaque, and both regular and reactive maintenance and cleaning," a spokesperson said.

They said the prices did not cover insurance for loss, damage or destruction.

The spokesperson added: "The council appreciates the significance of memorial benches, and this approach ensures their longevity and maintenance."