Glasgow Cemetery Visitors Criticize Safety Labels on Gravestones

Cemetery visitors in Glasgow have voiced criticism regarding a “disgusting” decision by the city council to affix prominent stickers to gravestones. These warning labels, some of which cover the names of the deceased, indicate that the memorial stone has undergone inspection and did not meet safety standards. Nevertheless, these labels have generated considerable discontent on social media platforms, with individuals accusing the municipal authority of showing disrespect for the deceased. Glasgow City Council defended the use of the stickers, explaining them as a method to “reach out to families” when the party responsible for the upkeep of the memorial was unknown. Sami Tollett observed numerous graves adorned with the conspicuous stickers while visiting her father’s burial site at Riddrie Park Cemetery. She commented: “It’s disgusting and morally wrong to deface somebody’s resting place. It’s actually sad to see. It used to be a lovely place, well kept and maintained, but now it’s an eyesore. It’s even worse with the big stickers all over the headstones.” The maintenance of gravestones is typically a private responsibility, not handled by the city council directly, with families generally employing a stone mason for their upkeep. In May 2015, an eight-year-old boy named Ciaran Williamson tragically died after a headstone collapsed on him at Cardonald’s Craigton Cemetery. A subsequent fatal accident inquiry into his demise revealed that as many as 900 headstones at Craigton were identified as unsafe in the period following the incident. Gillian Sooter, a visitor to the cemetery, informed BBC Scotland News of her distress upon observing multiple stickers at the city’s Lambhill cemetery. She noted that many of the labels were “covering up the people’s names.” She further stated: “It looks terrible to think your loved ones are lying here and on their stones are a big white sticker.” Glasgow City Council affirmed that cemetery safety is an “absolute priority” and explained that the stickers were deployed due to the “very challenging” nature of locating the owners of certain graves. A spokesperson elaborated: “Regular inspections of headstones is a statutory obligation for the council but the maintenance and upkeep of any memorial is a matter for the owner.“However, as owners themselves pass on, identifying a person to take responsibility for headstone maintenance can become very challenging.“Applying these notices to headstones is an effective way to reach out to families and they have helped us to make contact with people who have an interest in undertaking necessary repairs.” The spokesperson further stated that headstones identified as posing a safety risk might be laid flat to prevent accidents.