Most funerals in and around Leicester take place at one of three crematoria: Gilroes in the city, Great Glen to the south-east, and Loughborough in the north of the county. Your funeral director books the service, but knowing what each is like can help you plan the ceremony you want.
Gilroes Crematorium, Leicester
- Where: Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QG. Run by Leicester City Council, and open since 1902.
- Chapels: two non-denominational chapels, each seating 100, with side chapel viewing rooms for extra seating.
- Service times: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4pm, in one-hour sessions. Longer services can be requested, and Saturday morning services may be available on request.
- Tributes and technology: HD screens for photo and video tributes, webcasting for people who can’t attend, and recordings on USB, DVD or Blu-ray (fees apply — ask your funeral director).
- Accessibility: induction loop, external speakers, parking including disabled spaces.
- Afterwards: Gardens of Remembrance and Books of Remembrance.
Great Glen Crematorium
- Where: Great Glen, between Leicester and Market Harborough.
- Chapel: it describes its chapel as the largest in the area, with 108 seats plus standing room, and screens and speakers in the lobby and outside for larger gatherings.
- Service times: daytime services have a 60-minute slot (around 40 minutes of service time). There are also shorter early-morning slots and evening “twilight” services, and extended services on request.
- Tributes and technology: music for the service is handled by the crematorium, and webcasting is available so people can join remotely.
- Afterwards: ashes are usually ready the next day. They can be collected, scattered in the grounds (usually around two months after the service, and family can be present), placed in a memorial, or held for up to six months while you decide. Great Glen also opened a natural burial ground in 2025.
Loughborough Crematorium
- Where: Leicester Road, Loughborough LE11 2AF. Operated by Dignity.
- Chapel: seats 80, with a separate waiting area for early arrivals.
- Tributes and technology: music system, visual tributes and live webcasting, with a hearing loop throughout.
- Afterwards: landscaped memorial gardens with options including scattering, rose beds, private gardens and mausoleums.
- Parking: around 55 spaces, including accessible spaces.
Would you like help creating a ceremony for someone you’ve lost?Get in touch whenever you’re ready.
Get in touchHow much time will you have?
This is the question that matters most when planning a service. A standard slot is usually about an hour, but that includes arriving, seating everyone and leaving — the service itself is typically 30 to 40 minutes. If you’d like more time for tributes, music or several speakers, ask your funeral director about booking a double or extended slot.
Planning a celebrant-led service at a crematorium
A celebrant-led funeral fits beautifully into a crematorium slot. A typical structure might be:
- Entrance music as family and the coffin come in
- Welcome and words of acknowledgement
- The tribute or eulogy — their life story
- A reading or a tribute from a family member or friend
- A piece of music or a photo tribute on the screens
- A moment of quiet reflection (and a prayer, if wished)
- The committal — words of farewell
- Closing words, thanks and exit music
Your celebrant will write the ceremony to fit your time slot, work with the crematorium on music and screen timings, and keep everything running calmly so you don’t need to watch the clock.
Other options
A crematorium isn’t the only choice. Some families have a short or direct cremation and then hold a celebration of life somewhere more personal — a village hall, a favourite pub, a sports club or a garden — where there’s no time limit at all.
