AN Edinburgh family mourning the loss of their father has questioned ongoing restrictions to the numbers allowed to attend funerals in light of lifting lockdown restrictions.
The family of Ian Jackson - who died aged 59 after a battle with cancer - spoke to the Edinburgh Evening News about their father’s funeral and said it was “unfair” only 20 people could attend while their local pub had around 60 customers.
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His son, Jaimi, from Edinburgh, told the paper that 500 people would have attended his father’s funeral had he died in normal times and said it was not fair that restrictions were not being reconsidered as the country exits lockdown.
He told the paper: "We don't find it fair.
"Last night we went out on a walk as a family and passed the local pub to see about 60 people sitting in there, enjoying themselves and having a drink.
"Knowing that some of my dad's friends are in there and won't be able to see him at his funeral is very upsetting."
Ian, a father of three and a private tour driver, died after a “distressing” drawn-out battle with stage-four urethral cancer.
During lockdown he was so sick he required hospital treatment four times a week.
Jaimi said: "Watching the news to see that potentially 50 households can go to places of worship, and that people can now meet up and go inside to the pub, but we can't gather together to say goodbye to our dad is so upsetting.
"We have a big family and my dad has two brothers and sister and it has been over four weeks since they last saw him, not to mention his many friends."
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Ian was moved into a hospice before his death, where his family was allowed to visit him in his last moments, in full personal protective equipment.
Jaimi, who owns a bathroom company, told the Edinburgh Evening News: "The hospitals were obviously locked down and now allowing visitors, but we were lucky that he was strong enough to FaceTime and text regularly up until about two weeks ago, that's when we lost contact with him.
"When he spoke to us he was telling us he felt so lonely in hospital and would look forward to the tea lady coming in or a nurse because he was sitting for about ten hours a day on his own.
"The doctor invited us to the hospice at Fairmilehead, we had to go in to see him in full PPE, it was very distressing and upsetting and it was the last time we saw him.
"We had visors on and gloves and suits, it's not the way you want to say goodbye."
Ian's funeral will take place on Thursday, July 23 at Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh.
He leaves behind wife Caroline, son Jaimi and daughters Keanna, 23, and Channing, 28.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government told the paper: "We recognise that the current restrictions on funeral services are extremely difficult for people.
"However, limiting the number of people present at funerals remains necessary to prevent and mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in situations where families and communities come together.
"These restrictions are being kept under review and will not be in place a day longer than is necessary for essential public health reasons."
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