Need for lairs can’t come as a surprise

Making burial plans has become an important part of people’s lives in their twilight years as they want to ensure certain family traditions and personal preferences are followed.

Picking a burial plot near to loved ones who have passed away already is often a key part of planning a funeral and offers a sense of reassurance and peace.

This is not as straightforward as it might seem given the findings of an investigation by The Press and Journal.

The sad fact of the matter is that graveyards across the Highlands and north-east are fast running out of land for burial plots. It means that some people are now prevented from paying for a burial lair in their chosen spot and might have to settle for a cemetery further away from their own communities and families.

Our investigation in

The P&J, which continues this week, has discovered more than 150 cemeteries with fewer than 100 lairs remaining – and some are down to 10. Since detailed statistics about death rates are easily available, this trend cannot come as a surprise to local authorities.

One older couple told The P&J how they were blocked from buying their own burial land near their deceased relatives as space ran out.

Extensions to graveyards are taking place here and there, but there is too much uncertainty, inconsistency and a hand-tomouth feel about future council strategy.

“One couple told how they were blocked from buying burial land nearrelatives as space ran out”