REVEALED correspondence suggests that the City of Edinburgh Council was hesitant about having a Royal Mile procession for the funeral of late comedian Janey Godley.
Godley passed away on 2 November last year, following an extended battle with ovarian cancer.
The Scots comic’s funeral saw a public procession up Edinburgh’s Royal Mile on 29 November, before a private event held in Glasgow.
Despite hundreds lining the streets of the comedian’s “beloved festival home”, official communication between council staff suggests that the body was reluctant to go through with the procession.
Council staff had stated on 9 November – 20 days before the funeral took place – that using the Royal Mile would be “a challenge.”
Discussing the family’s planned route along the Royal Mile, Lawnmarket and St Giles’ Cathedral, staff said that they should “not be seen to be facilitating” if they can help it, expressing a wish to talk to Godley’s daughter Ashley privately about the funeral route.
The council’s communications leading up to the event showed a lot of work was done to secure the route that was taken.
Godley’s procession did indeed pass along High Street, Cockburn Street and Lawnmarket, with a stop outside St Giles Cathedral taking place.
Another staff member chimed in to say: “Sorry to butt in but we have to treat this like anything else similar.
“Whoever the ‘organiser’ is needs to come and talk to us and we’ll agree the art of the possible.
“As [REDACTED] says maybe they’ve made contact with [REDACTED] already, if not, on Monday, we need to find a way of contacting them to get them in for a chat.
“In the meantime, if we’re contacted, I think this is a holding line from which we can update next week.”
The council’s main points of contention appeared to stem from concerns over the procession navigating Cockburn Street, pedestrianised zones and the works that were underway at the time on Lawnmarket.
However, after clarifying that the procession would only contain one hearse, and after reassurance that Police Scotland were relaxed about the event, council staffs’ worries appeared to subside.
Funeral directors Alexander Whitelaw and Co also got in touch to arrange details of the route council staff worked to facilitate the procession despite initial questions of its viability.
Thankfully, the procession went forward after the funeral directors submitted a public spaces event application and a number of council and even Police Scotland staff were consulted despite initial desires to remain, or appear, uninvolved.
Godley was laid to rest at St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow on 30 November at the age of 63, with former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and Still Game star Gavin Mitchell amongst the mourners.
Edinburgh City Council has been contacted for comment.
