Mayor unveils plaque at Sandwell Valley Crematorium - Crematorium.eu News about crematoria in Europe - www.crematorium.eu informs about crematoria in Europe- Krematorium.eu- crematorio.eu, find a crematorium

Sandwell's Mayor unveiled a plaque to officially open Sandwell Valley Crematorium in West Bromwich.

The new chapel building opened last August, and work to convert the old crematorium into offices and landscaping the site was finished in the spring.

Mayor of Sandwell Cllr Joyce Underhill was joined this morning by bereavement services staff, local funeral directors, religious leaders and representatives from Martin Critchell Architects and GF Tomlinson Birmingham Ltd, who built the new crematorium.

Gordon Hull, President of the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities, and Sandwell Council's cabinet member for neighbourhood services Cllr Derek Rowley were also there.

Unveiling the plaque, which will be placed outside the chapel, Cllr Underhill said: "Sandwell Valley Crematorium is one of the finest crematoriums in the UK." She added that mourners had commented on the much more pleasant surroundings, compared to the old 1960s building.

The new £3.25million building was built on the site of the old chapel in Newton Road. It includes new offices, improved coach and car parking and a café for mourners.

The chapel includes state-of-the-art technology such as an online music selection service, where funeral directors and families can upload the songs or hymns they wish to have played.

Large groups of mourners can also watch the services on televisions in a covered area just outside the chapel should the main room, which can hold 125, is full.