Gillotts Funeral Directors is now part of the A.W. Lymn Group – here’s what you need to know
6th August 2026
We want to share some news with you, and we want you to hear it properly, from us.
Gillotts Funeral Directors has joined the A.W. Lymn Group, becoming sister companies with A. W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, one of the most respected family funeral businesses in the East Midlands. It’s a change we’ve thought carefully about, and one we’re genuinely proud of.
We know that when it comes to a funeral director, trust matters more than almost anything. You’ve chosen Gillotts, many of you, generation after generation, and we don’t take that lightly. So before anything else, we want to be clear about what this means for you.
What changes, and what stays the same
What stays the same – almost everything.
Gillotts remains Gillotts.
Our name, our identity, our five funeral homes in Eastwood, Heanor, Kimberley, Selston and Stapleford, all staying exactly as they are.
Your local team is still here.
Every member of staff is continuing with us. The people you know and trust aren’t going anywhere.
Joanne Hutsby and Anthony Topley continue to lead the business day-to-day
Joanne Hutsby and Anthony Topley, two of the partners of the partnership which previously owned Gillotts, continue to lead the business day-to-day, as Business Managers and Senior Funeral Directors across all five homes.
Our iconic Jaguar funeral fleet remains.
The vehicles you know are still ours, still here.
All existing pre-paid funeral plans are completely unaffected
What gets better.
Being part of the established and respected A.W. Lymn Group, means our team has greater resources and support behind them. Which means more time and energy where it belongs: with you, and with the families in our care.
For those who are planning a funeral, there’s something a little extra too. As part of the A.W. Lymn Group, we can now offer access to their wider fleet of exceptional funeral vehicles, including their celebrated Rolls Royce hearses and limousines, for which they are renowned across the region. All available on request, for those who’d like something truly special for their loved one’s final journey.
Two families, one shared purpose
A.W. Lymn the Family Funeral Service has been caring for families across Nottinghamshire since 1907. Now in its fifth generation of family ownership under Managing Director Matthew Lymn Rose, it’s a business built on exactly the same values Gillotts has always held: personal care, local knowledge, and a genuine commitment to every family it serves.
A.W. Lymn is, like Gillotts, an independent family business, one that has grown its reputation over generations, not years, and that holds exactly the same belief: that every family deserves personal, compassionate care from people who are truly part of their community. Their acquisition of Gillotts makes the A.W. Lymn Group the largest independent funeral business in the UK.
Matthew Lymn Rose, Managing Director of A.W. Lymn, said:
“This is a really proud day for our two family businesses, both synonymous with exceptional care for and dedication to the bereaved across our counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Gillotts is, like my family business, steeped in generational history and known for operating with a high standard and quality of care for each and every family its team serves.
“Our family has always enjoyed a strong relationship with Gillotts, formed on mutual respect and admiration. My father, A.W. Lymn Company chairman Nigel Lymn Rose, and Barry Hutsby have both served as presidents of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), and as two East Midlands family businesses in the funeral industry, we have seen how our values, ethos and approach seamlessly and enduringly align.
“We are honoured to have been entrusted with the next chapter of their business.”
Anthony Topley, Business Manager and Senior Funeral Director at Gillotts, added:
“This new chapter in the history of Gillotts gives us an opportunity to bring together generations of family history and service to families from both businesses. Joanne and I are excited to work closely with Matthew and his team to make sure that the service we provide remains second to none.
“We want to spread the message that your local family funeral home should be the starting point for discussing your needs and options, no matter what kind of send-off you want for you or your loved one.”
A fond farewell to Barry and Elaine
This new chapter wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the people at the heart of Gillotts’ story.
Barry and Elaine Hutsby are now enjoying a well-earned retirement after decades of service to families across Eastwood and the surrounding areas of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. From taking on the business following the sudden passing of Elaine’s uncle in 1973, transforming it from a carriage master into a complete funeral service, to guiding it through more than 50 years of growth, Barry and Elaine have given everything to Gillotts and to the communities it serves.
Their legacy is present in every one of our five funeral homes, in the standards we hold ourselves to, and in the team they built around them. We are deeply grateful, and we wish them both every happiness in the years ahead.
A note for pre-paid plan holders
We know that news of any change in ownership can feel unsettling if you hold a pre-paid funeral plan. We want to be completely clear: your Gillotts pre-paid funeral plan is entirely unaffected.
When the time comes, Gillotts will be right here to carry out your wishes, exactly as you have planned. Nothing about that has changed.
If you have any questions about your plan, please don’t hesitate to call your local team. We’re always happy to talk things through.
We’re still here, whenever you need us
Change can feel unsettling, even when it’s good change. If you’d like to talk to someone at your local Gillotts funeral home, whether you have questions about this announcement, want to discuss arrangements, or simply want a friendly conversation, please do get in touch.
Call us any time: 0800 470 1130 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
Or find your nearest Gillotts funeral home: