‘We want a crematorium, just not in the centre of Grahamstown.'

This is the message coming from about 1,900 people who have signed a petition opposing Twentymans Funeral Services plan to install a cremator at its Thames premises on Kirkwood St.

The Junction Hotel in Grahmstown. Photo: The Junction Hotel/Facebook

A peaceful protest has been organised which will see the petition delivered to the Thames Coromandel District Council on Wednesday, starting at 10am.

The protest will start from outside Twentymans, head down Main St and finish at council's offices on Mackay St.

Junction Hotel and Grahamstown Bar & Diner owner Karl Edmonds is one of leading voices of opposition to the planned cremator and emphasises that this will be a peaceful march.

'We definitely want to keep it peaceful because everyone believes Thames does need a cremator, we just don't want it here in town.

'People would prefer it [a cremator] were in a nice cemetery, a garden, or green environment when they're farewelling their loved ones.”

'We will present the signatures to council in a positive way and say ‘look, we're giving you the people power to stop this and can you help us.”

Earlier in March, Karl and other businesses owners caught wind of Twentymans owner Adrian Catran's plans to install a cremator at his premises.

Concerned of the potential repercussions a cremator would have on other Grahamstown businesses, a petition was started and has since garnered about 1,900 signatures.

Karl believes about 80 per cent or more of Grahamstown businesses do not want a cremator installed at Twentymans and feels there are three issues at play:

On a commercial level, owners are worried it will affect businesses with customers already allegedly saying 'they won't come to our bars, cafes and restaurants if there's a cremator next door”.

'Our customers are saying it's going to kill Grahamstown,” says Karl. 'We've all worked hard to grow this heritage part of town and our customers are saying they won't come here.

'On a personal level, we just think it is inappropriate and undignified to be disposing of bodies in a historic part of town where we live and entertain.”

Karl adds: 'A lot of people live within 30 metres of that building; lots of elderly people, lots of young people with houses as investments – they're worried they'll not be able to on sell them in years to come.”

In earlier media reports, Adrian Catran has stated the cremator he was currently investigating would not discharge smoke, odour or particulates into the surrounding environment.

Responding to that claim Karl says simply: 'I don't believe him.”

Feedback received by Karl from tourists living in Auckland, Hamilton, and Sydney, who live next to a cremator stated there was often a smell, loud noises and fine dust on washing hung out to dry.

A point both Karl and Adrian agree on is that no-one expects a giant chimney which featured on earlier models of cremators.

But he asks: 'Why do these machines need chimneys if nothing is coming out?”

'Even though it's a really high heat, something's still got to come out? A body just doesn't evaporate and disappear.”

To date Karl says he's only met with Adrian once to discuss the cremator when he first caught plans of the Twentymans owner's plans, but nothing since.

He states Adrian was invited to a public meeting held a fortnight ago to discuss the issue but didn't show and has since been 'avoiding everyone”.

Karl is adamant people do want a cremator within the district, but cannot understand why Adrian would want it in the centre of town when there was space at Totara Memorial Park.

'We all want to work with the Thames-Coromandel council, and even Adrian, on the idea of a cremator, but out of town.”

To read Twentymans Funeral Service owner Adrian Catran's side of the story click here.

To read TCDC Thames Area Manager Greg Hampton's view of the issue click here.