Regent Funeral Service open for business and continues to grow and prosper
A council owned funeral company in Gateshead is going from strength to strength just six years after being launched and is very much open for business, say leaders.
A meeting of Gateshead Council's Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee held earlier this week heard that the future of Regent Funeral Services is positive and secure.
While the trading company has not yet made a profit, due to it paying off starting costs, rent payments and other factors, council leaders are keen to stress the net position is positive, with an overall surplus for the council as the only shareholder.
The council launched Regent Funeral Services in 2018 after it was revealed there was a local need for an affordable service that was transparent in its pricing.
Gateshead has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country, with many families living in poverty. Arranging funerals can often be a pricey, unforeseen expense, with people needing to suddenly find the money to pay for it.
Creating a professional funeral service run as a traded company, means the council can offer a variety of packages, ensuring everyone has the support they need at one of the hardest times in their lives. By being run as a commercial business separate to the council but still overseen by the local authority as its one shareholder, ensures all the funerals are affordable, dignified and sensitive to people's needs.
The operational performance for Regent Funeral Services was an agenda item at Monday's committee hearing, where it was reported that funeral numbers have steadily increased year on year since the company opened, leading to an increase in sales and turnover.
The committee also heard the company had been successful in tenders for coroners' contracts. The company offers bespoke funerals, where customers can choose and make up their own funeral to suit both their needs and their loved ones' needs.
The committee noted the report and was reassured by the positive progress to date.
Gateshead Council Leader, Cllr Martin Gannon, said: "Dealing with the death of a loved one can be overwhelming, and many people find it difficult to know where to begin with the process of arranging a funeral.
"We knew people were getting charged varying prices for similar ceremonies, pricing was not clear, and people were not necessarily in the right frame of mind to be able to challenge these costs.
"Our residents are also some of the hardest hit when it comes to the cost of living. It was both socially and morally the right thing for everyone for us to offer a commercial service, with council backing, which was both affordable and transparent in its pricing.
"I am therefore pleased to report Regent Funeral Services continues to expand its customer base year on year, and I want people to understand it is very much open for business and will continue to be for years to come.
"I want to emphasise to residents that the overall position is positive. The council is not losing money, and the future of the company is secure."
He added: "Its reputation continues to grow as a family orientated funeral director that is there for every resident at their special time of need, when it matters the most, ensuring our residents' loved ones get the special send-off they wanted and deserve."
Funeral Director Natalya McLackland, from Regent Funeral Services, said: "We pride ourselves on the care and attention to detail we take with our customers, and the respect we give to the person who has died.
"Losing a loved one is one of the most stressful issues people deal with in their lifetime, and trying to make sense of arranging a funeral can often add to this already stressful situation.
"We want to be able to take the stress out of funeral arrangements, making them as easy and affordable as possible for people in Gateshead.
"We can advise on anything that people need support with, from funding help to coffins including eco-friendly options, to arranging celebrants and liaising with the crematorium and local cemeteries. We take care of it all.
"There can be so much to do once someone dies and this can be overwhelming, which is where we can step in and make a difficult situation run as smoothly as possible for those who are left behind."
Regent Funeral Services is located in Saltwell Park, Gateshead. People wanting to book a funeral can do so by filling in the contact form or by calling 0191 433 4499.
A council owned funeral company in Gateshead is going from strength to strength just six years after being launched and is very much open for business, say leaders.
A meeting of Gateshead Council's Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee held earlier this week heard that the future of Regent Funeral Services is positive and secure.
While the trading company has not yet made a profit, due to it paying off starting costs, rent payments and other factors, council leaders are keen to stress the net position is positive, with an overall surplus for the council as the only shareholder.
The council launched Regent Funeral Services in 2018 after it was revealed there was a local need for an affordable service that was transparent in its pricing.
Gateshead has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country, with many families living in poverty. Arranging funerals can often be a pricey, unforeseen expense, with people needing to suddenly find the money to pay for it.
Creating a professional funeral service run as a traded company, means the council can offer a variety of packages, ensuring everyone has the support they need at one of the hardest times in their lives. By being run as a commercial business separate to the council but still overseen by the local authority as its one shareholder, ensures all the funerals are affordable, dignified and sensitive to people's needs.
The operational performance for Regent Funeral Services was an agenda item at Monday's committee hearing, where it was reported that funeral numbers have steadily increased year on year since the company opened, leading to an increase in sales and turnover.
The committee also heard the company had been successful in tenders for coroners' contracts. The company offers bespoke funerals, where customers can choose and make up their own funeral to suit both their needs and their loved ones' needs.
The committee noted the report and was reassured by the positive progress to date.
Gateshead Council Leader, Cllr Martin Gannon, said: "Dealing with the death of a loved one can be overwhelming, and many people find it difficult to know where to begin with the process of arranging a funeral.
"We knew people were getting charged varying prices for similar ceremonies, pricing was not clear, and people were not necessarily in the right frame of mind to be able to challenge these costs.
"Our residents are also some of the hardest hit when it comes to the cost of living. It was both socially and morally the right thing for everyone for us to offer a commercial service, with council backing, which was both affordable and transparent in its pricing.
"I am therefore pleased to report Regent Funeral Services continues to expand its customer base year on year, and I want people to understand it is very much open for business and will continue to be for years to come.
"I want to emphasise to residents that the overall position is positive. The council is not losing money, and the future of the company is secure."
He added: "Its reputation continues to grow as a family orientated funeral director that is there for every resident at their special time of need, when it matters the most, ensuring our residents' loved ones get the special send-off they wanted and deserve."
Funeral Director Natalya McLackland, from Regent Funeral Services, said: "We pride ourselves on the care and attention to detail we take with our customers, and the respect we give to the person who has died.
"Losing a loved one is one of the most stressful issues people deal with in their lifetime, and trying to make sense of arranging a funeral can often add to this already stressful situation.
"We want to be able to take the stress out of funeral arrangements, making them as easy and affordable as possible for people in Gateshead.
"We can advise on anything that people need support with, from funding help to coffins including eco-friendly options, to arranging celebrants and liaising with the crematorium and local cemeteries. We take care of it all.
"There can be so much to do once someone dies and this can be overwhelming, which is where we can step in and make a difficult situation run as smoothly as possible for those who are left behind."
Regent Funeral Services is located in Saltwell Park, Gateshead. People wanting to book a funeral can do so by filling in the contact form or by calling 0191 433 4499.
