Britain’s only public restaurant, The Clink, staffed by prisoners inside a working jail, is facing closure after 11 years of operation at HMP Brixton.
Run by The Clink Charity, the restaurant trains inmates in hospitality and catering skills as part of their rehabilitation, with many securing jobs in the food industry after release.
The initiative has been praised by leading chefs and policymakers, including Justice Secretary David Lammy, who recently described it as inspirational.
Despite its success, the charity has been forced to reapply for the contract to continue operating at Brixton, following the closure of three other Clink restaurants across England and Wales, most recently at HMP Styal in Cheshire in July.
The executive director of the Gradel Institute of Charity, Stephen Bubb criticised the government’s procurement process, calling it deeply troubling that The Clink’s future was in doubt.
He added the system unfairly disadvantages charities in favour of larger private providers, urging ministers to intervene.
Clink chief executive Donna-Marie Edmonds warned that losing the Brixton site would be utterly devastating to the charity’s mission, though other projects would continue. “It is really the flagship part of the charity,” she said.
The Ministry of Justice said contracts must be re-tendered in line with government policy, but thanked The Clink for its valuable work in reducing reoffending.
Mr Lammy has made tackling reoffending a priority, noting that as many as 65 per cent of ex-prisoners go on to commit further offences.
