SERVICES at York Crematorium are to be halted while improvements are carried out.

But cremations will still be carried out there and the memorial gardens and Book of Remembrance will remain open to the public.

City of York Council is to update the layout of the building in Bishopthorpe Road to improve its entrance and exit.

The work will include refurbishing the chapel, renovating the external toilet facilities and extending the chapel of remembrance.

The project will start next month and take ten weeks to complete. During this time families will not be able to attend services at the crematorium.

Richard Haswell, the council's head of licensing and regulation, said it had held discussions with funeral directors and the clergy to try and find alternative venues for committal services. He said: "These works will make a significant improvement to the operation and facilities at the crematorium.

"We also plan to improve the car parking facilities next year."

Richard Rymer, of J Rymer Funeral Service in York, welcomed the improvements, although he said some families might be upset by the disruption.

He said anyone who wanted a service at a crematorium would be able to travel to other crematoriums in Leeds, Harrogate and Octon.

Bishopthorpe Church, which is only 500 yards away from York Crematorium, would be available for committal services.

Mr Rymer said funeral directors in the city would be sitting down with families and explaining all the options available to them.

But he said the improvements had to be carried out to bring the site into the 21st century.

"This crematorium was built 40 years ago and it needs an upgrade. We have been hoping it would be improved for so long," he said.

The changes, he said, would end the situation where people leaving after a cremation met those arriving for another service.

"It will make it more dignified. It will be a lovely modern facility and we will benefit greatly from it when it's done," he said.

But he said: "Some families may get upset about it. It is going to be hard for some people.

"A lot of churches will be offering to hold the service and committal in church to make it easier for people."

Updated: 10:42 Tuesday, May 18, 2004