Alarming Reason This Cemetery Is Charging Money to Its Visitors

A cemetery in the United Kingdom is facing backlash after introducing a paid VIP pass system for mourners visiting their loved ones.

The Garden of Remembrance, located in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that starting January 2025, access to the cemetery will be restricted by electric gates. Visitors without a pass will only be allowed entry during office hours.

According to The New York Post, notices posted at the site, the gates will operate on a timed schedule, and entry outside office hours will require a VIP pass. The passes cost about $12 for access to the rose garden and about $6 for grave visits.

It’s unclear if the fee is a one-time payment or applies per visit. Non-pass holders will still be able to visit between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday but will have no access on weekends, bank holidays or other days when the office is closed.

Grieving families have fired back against the move.

According to The New York Post, Jode Bourne, whose father is buried there, expressed outrage on Facebook, saying, “Now I need to pay a membership fee to visit my dad’s grave. This is an absolute disgrace. Shame on you, Garden of Remembrance.”

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However, cemetery owner Jason Taft defended the decision, explaining that the $10,000 spent on security and technology upgrades was necessary to protect the site.

“We’re not locking people out. The key cards allow access until 9 p.m., which is beyond normal closing hours. This ensures visitors can feel safe and keeps the cemetery secure from intruders,” Taft shared to the local paper, Stokeon Trent Live.

Taft also noted that 90 free passes have been distributed to vulnerable members of the community and emphasized that the new system won’t take effect until after the holidays.

“People wouldn’t be happy if we started this before Christmas,” he added.