Memorial benches

For consistency, St Albans City and District Council uses one standardised bench style in all park settings, namely the Stanford™ Seat, which is supplied by Glasdon Manufacturing Limited. 

However, other styles of bench may also be considered where benches are required for different settings, particularly in more rural areas where a more rustic bench may be more appropriate.

The total cost for a Stanford™ Seat, including a personalised memorial plaque, delivery and installation, is typically in the region of £1,500.

Memorial bench donations are exempt from VAT. An exact quote will be provided once we know your requirements. 

Due to high demand, we currently have a waiting list for memorial bench donations in all of our Parks and Open Spaces. 

Once an available spot for a bench becomes available at your chosen site, we will contact you to discuss how you wish to proceed with your donation.

Applying to join the waiting list for a memorial bench donation couldn’t be easier. Please see Memorial Benches Waiting List. If you wish to apply, simply click on the Apply Online button below. 

Alternatively, download the Memorial Bench Donations - Register of Interest Form. Please complete this form and upload this via the Contact Us section.

Apply

• Memorial Bench Donations - Register of Interest Form ( pdf - 22.83 KB )

Report an issue with a memorial bench here.

Contact us or report a problem

Yes. St Albans City and District Council welcomes the donation of memorial benches, and tries to accommodate people’s wishes as much as possible. Bench donations are for a period of ten years. At the end of the ten years, you will be given the opportunity to renew your donation for a fee (price to be confirmed) for another 10 year period. If you do not wish to renew your donation, then the bench will be offered to other donors on the waiting list.

Yes. A stainless steel memorial plaque measuring 150mm x 40mm, can be fitted to the top slat on the bench, and you can personalise the plaque with your own wording. The cost of the plaque is included within the total cost. 

You can also have additional polycarbonate plaques fitted to the side(s) of the bench. These plaques can have a maximum of two colours. There are two sizes:

• 320mm x 55mm rectangular plaque 
• 90mm diameter circular plaque.

In exceptional circumstances, it may also be possible to add a memorial plaque to an existing bench. This can be discussed individually.

It usually takes approximately 8-12 weeks from the date of order for the bench to be ordered, delivered and installed. However, due to high demand, we currently have a waiting list for all memorial bench applications and therefore this may take longer. 

The bench will be maintained and repaired by St Albans City and District Council. This service will be free of charge throughout the ten year period. At the end of the ten years, you will be given the opportunity to renew the bench. If you do not wish to renew, then the bench will be offered to other donors on the waiting list.

In very rare occurrences, a bench may have to be moved or relocated for operational reasons. Out of courtesy, we will do our best to contact you before taking any action. We will always aim to relocate the bench to an alternative location that is considered to be the most suitable for both parties. 

In the event that your donated bench falls into disrepair, is damaged or is unsafe for public use, then we will need to remove it from the park or open space. We will endeavour to contact you to inform you of the situation and to seek clarification as to whether you or your family intend to donate a replacement bench. If this is declined, or if we do not have a response, then we reserve the right to offer the space to another donor. A decision will need to be made within 6 weeks of us contacting you.

Please note that your contact details will be recorded on a database. Please let us know if your contact details change.