Biker tribute at South Bristol Crematorium was ‘utterly unacceptable’ says city councillor

A city councillor wants better supervision of funerals at South Bristol Crematorium after ‘utterly unacceptable’ scenes at a biker’s funeral last month.

Conservative Councillor Richard Eddy says people should be charged for damage at the site on Bedminster Down if identified as responsible.

It comes after the funeral of a 20-year-old motorcyclist, who died in a crash near Ashton Gate in January, at the crematorium on February 22.

A GoFundMe page raised more than £3,000 for the funeral, which saw many people turn out to pay their respects to the young man.

Some rode scramblers, quad bikes and motorbikes.

Councillor Eddy claims that bikes were rode ‘recklessly’ in nearby streets and damage was caused to the green outside Bristol Water’s headquarters and verges at the entrance to the crematorium.

He said it mirrored a biker’s funeral 18 months ago which led to reports of antisocial behaviour and police attendance.

In a written statement to be given to tomorrow’s full council meeting (March 15), Councillor Eddy, of the Bishopsworth ward, said: “It is imperative that the crematorium is responsibly run, does not contribute to lawlessness locally and is not a magnet for criminal environmental damage.

“Sadly, a recent funeral proved far from satisfactory and was utterly unacceptable.”

He added: “(The) funeral at South Bristol Crem on 22nd February 2022 echoed the scenes of hooliganism and thuggery we experienced 18 months ago at a similar ’biker-funeral’.

“Alleged ‘mourners’ drove their bikes recklessly along nearby residential streets, doing ‘wheelies’ and riding on pavements. They endangered the lives of any children and elderly people and the infirm especially.”

Councillor Eddy said residents who sought to intervene were abused and threatened, and said the police response was slow and ineffective.

It added to the ‘ongoing problems’ of bikers using open spaces in Bedminster Down, added the councillor who has been in contact with Police and Commissioner Mark Shelford on the issue.

The councillor’s statement concludes: “I would like to see the Mayor’s administration instruct officers to take a more robust approach to booking and supervising funerals at the crematorium, liaising with the police to forewarn them of possible problems where this is identified and even ‘surcharging’ families for any damage where family or friend ‘mourners’ are identified as being responsible. “