A new independent funeral directors in Southport is now open.
Massam and Marshall Independent Funeral Directors opened its new premises on Manchester Road today (Monday, 25th October) and is inviting local people and local businesses to call in for a coffee or a cup of tea and to have a chat with the friendly team there.
Massam and Marshall staff have spent the past few months renovating the glorious former bank building, which even includes its own steel-doored vault – used these days for cleaning products only.
The premises is situated at 137-139 Manchester Road, next door to the new Jack & Gin bar. It was previously occupied by a Nat West bank, followed by the Barking Frog restaurant and then the Imagination Station play centre.
The firm is owned by Funeral Director David Massam, who has spent several years working for other funeral directors in the region before establishing his own branch with his business partner, Charles Marshall, initially in Parbold, and now in Southport.
David and Charles have known each other since childhood with both their fathers working together in Scarisbrick at Moss Hall Farm.
With a number of funeral firms in the region owned by large national chains, they felt that there was a real need for an independent funeral director which puts grieving families at the heart of everything it does, that offers more choice.
David Massam said: “Now that we are open, people are more than welcome to call in and see the space, and to chat to myself, Charles and our staff about what we do here, or just to call in and say hello. Our kettle is always on!
“If people do need to plan a funeral, then we can make it personal to them. Everything we do is bespoke. We are also very transparent in what we do. Our prices are available online on our website, and can also be seen on the wall inside our premises.
“Being an independent funeral directors is very important to us. We made it very clear that we are independent on our sign at the front of the building. I think it makes a big difference.”
The team has been busy. The many people familiar with the building’s previous guises will struggle to recognise it after all its transformation.
There is smart new signage on the front. People will then walk inside to a large, welcoming reception area, with a separate office space to one side.
The space is designed to be warm and friendly, with people invited to call in and say hello, or to seek advice if they need it.
Behind that area is a Family Room, tastefully decorated, and with comfy couches, for families to feel relaxed while enjoying the privacy and the time they need.
Disabled toilets are available.
David said: “We felt it was important to have a space, the Family Room, where people could take their time and talk things through with us about what they need, and how we can best help them. We can give people all the support they need.”
There is a Chapel of Rest room, where families can visit their loved ones.
To the rear of the building is a mortuary. The owners felt it was important for people’s loved ones to be able to remain in the building until a funeral service can take place.
David said: “This building used to be a Nat West bank. When that closed, it became the Barking Frog restaurant. Lots of people will have dined in here. After that, it became The Imagination Station, a children;’s play centre. This place has a lot of history.
“I saw the building advertised on Facebook, and we thought it looked perfect for what we wanted. This site has so much character.
“I was born in Southport and raised in Scarisbrick, and I really wanted to come back and open a funeral directors here. I have always wanted to come back to Southport.
“We still have the old bank vault in here, with the big heavy door. We only keep cleaning products in here now! It is a quality feature.
“It has taken a lot of hard work to transform this place. We have done it all ourselves, with myself, Charles, my father, Peter, and our staff, particularly Tom Lopez, one of our operatives.
“My staff have all worked in the industry before, and we have a few who have worked in the services. We have people who have worked in the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, the police service, the fire service – we don’t have any ex-paramedics yet so we don’t quite have the full set! But we have a wide spectrum of life experience among the people we have here.
“When people walk through the door they will know that they can find someone who will give them all the right information and advice that they need.
“When you take on a funeral director, you are putting a lot of faith and trust in someone else. We don’t take that responsibility lightly. We make sure we do the very best we can for people.
“The families of the deceased are always very firmly in our minds.”
Massam and Marshall Independent Funeral Directors in Southport is currently seeking casual staff to work as and when needed.
David said: “We are looking for casual Funeral Operatives to come in and join us.
“They are people who help us to do things such as carrying coffins, driving vehicles, and to be a part of our casual rota. We want local people to become part of our business.
“People who are interested don’t need to have worked for a funeral director before. Just email us and get in touch.”
Massam and Marshall Independent Funeral Directors currently runs a popular Bereavement Cafe service in Parbold. It is something they are looking to introduce soon in the Southport area too.
David Massam said: “We had a chat about the Bereavement Cafe. We are probably going to start that in Southport in March next year.
“If anyone wants to get in touch about our Bereavement Cafes, whether it is someone who wants to come along or another local organisation which wants to get involved, we would love to hear from you.
“There are a lot of charities which provide bereavement support which might be interested in coming along.
“Our new premises in Southport is not just a business space, it is also a community space, which we can use for events like this.
“We want people to feel like they can call in for a friendly chat. If we can’t help them directly with something, then we will direct them to someone who can.
“This is the community side of what we are trying to do. This is what the big, national companies tend to miss out.
“It is very much 9-5 there. Here, we will do what we need to do to look after the families who walk through our doors. Whilst we have set office hours here, we will always do what we need to do outside of those hours as and when needed. We are very much a 24 hour service.”
- Massam and Marshall Independent Funeral Directors is situated at 137-139 Manchester Road in Southport and also has an office at 5 The Common, Parbold. For more details call: 01257 462222 or visit: www.massamandmarshall.co.uk
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