Gillotts Funeral Directors: Meet the East Midlands' funeral director who's putting 'life back into death'

Death remains to be a taboo topic, often avoided by many.

And for those experiencing the loss of a loved one, the process of planning a funeral can often feel overwhelming, painful, and stressful.

But sitting in the cosy consultation room of Gillotts Funeral Directors in Heanor, I am far from stressed or uncomfortable.

It feels more like we’re sitting in my parent’s living room with squishy leather seats and mismatched artwork adorning the walls.

In fact, the only references to funerals could be found in the leaflets on the coffee table, showcasing bespoke coffins or procession cars.

This was a conscious decision by the team at Gillotts Funeral Directors, who are keen to debunk the myth that all funeral homes are like “Dracula’s Cave”. 

We met with partner Anthony Topley to discuss how to make funeral planning less daunting for grieving families.

“Tears, reflection, and laughter too”

“Put the soul back into it”, he says quite matter-of-factly. 

“Funerals used to be deeply religious, by-the-book affairs that didn’t reflect the person at rest. That’s not how we do it. We think funerals should celebrate life and showcase the personality of the person who has passed.

“Funerals used to happen quite quickly but now they usually take place two or three weeks after someone dies. This means we have time to plan the event and honour people’s wishes thoroughly.

“Often when the day finally comes it feels as though they are there with you because we’ve had the time to make it special. There will be tears, moments of reflection but often laughter too.” 

Gillotts Funeral Directors operates five branches across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire with offices in Kimberly, Heanor, Stapleford, Selston, and Eastwood.

The family-run company was established in the 1800s and despite a changing industry, Anthony says the core of Gillotts has remained much the same for more than 150 years.

Gillotts has an exceptional reputation within the local community and prides itself on delivering a personal experience to generations.

Anthony is passionate about dissolving the stigma surrounding funeral services adding that he doesn’t want to be perceived as “the frightening undertaker in a top hat”.

“People have a certain perception of you, when you tell them that you’re a funeral director. They’re almost a bit wary and I have to remind them it’s not catching! This is at its heart an industry centred around helping people and once you’re in it, you’re usually in it for life.” 

Maintaining a sense of humour is important for Anthony, who shared some of his most memorable services with us. One of which included a floral display in the shape of a dragon - a husband’s final (but ultimately loving) jibe at his wife. 

I asked Anthony what he thinks is the ultimate funeral song, and he replied “Another One Bites The Dust by Queen?” with a wry and knowing smirk. 

Despite a more relaxed approach to funeral planning, professionalism is at the heart of Gillotts Funeral Directors.

Anthony said the “varied and diverse team at Gillotts is pivotal to modern funeral planning”, adding that funerals are a far cry from the traditional services he organised at the start of his career more than 40 years ago.

Memorable moments

“As the world moves, people’s wishes move with it. Sometimes I have people come in and ask for things I’ve never heard of, and I always strive to make it happen for them”.

Naturally, we wanted to know more about these bespoke services and what they include. Anthony reminisced about a service where the priest dressed up as a stormtrooper and another that included a coffin shaped like a KitKat Chunky that said “death by chocolate” on the side.

The business has four partners; Barry and Elaine Hutsby, their daughter Joanne, and Anthony Topley, who are assisted by qualified Funeral Directors Alan Winfield and Helen Ellis. Barry and Elaine’s younger daughter Alison also works at the Eastwood funeral home as office manager.

Gillotts offers a range of services from funeral planning to flowers, donations and memorials. 

Anthony says they aim to reduce the stress and worry associated with funeral planning and want to support, guidance and information to loved ones during the most difficult of times. 

While there is no cure for grief, I can wholly see that Gillotts Funeral Directors offer a service that alleviates some of the admin pressures that go hand-in-hand with death. 

With personable staff, a calm and comforting space, and a range of individually tailored services, it is clear to see that Gillotts is doing its bit to put some life back into funeral planning. 

Find out more online by clicking here.