Cemetery gates to be shut (From Malvern Gazette)

Cemetery gates to be shut

12:48pm Monday 10th September 2007 in News

MALVERN's cemetery could be closed to pedestrians at night as part of a clampdown on vandalism.

At present, the pedestrian entrances to the cemetery, between Wilton Road and Madresfield Road, are open around the clock, and there have been several vandal attacks in recent times.

Malvern Town Council, which owns the cemetery, has been advised by the police that closing the gates at night could help deal with the problem.

The vehicular access to the cemetery is at present closed between 6pm and 8am.

In a report to the council's operations committee, which meets next Tuesday (September 18), town clerk Richard Chapman says there are no public rights of way across the cemetery, and that there would be no extra costs associated with the move, as the pedestrian gates can be locked by the same keeper who locks the vehicular access.

But he says there should be a public advertising campaign for a month before the closure is implemented for people to get used to the idea.