The Clink Charity is planning its third Clink training restaurant. HMP Brixton has been granted planning permission to proceed with transforming the old Governors house, within the grounds of the prison, into a three-story 100-seat restaurant and meetings venue due to open in early 2014.
The restaurant will follow The Clink’s Five Step Programme that has been successfully implemented at the award winning and successful Clink restaurant at HMP High Down in Surrey. This includes educating prisoners and equipping them with the skills and tools to secure employment upon their release.
Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink Charity believes Brixton will cement the future for further Clink restaurants. “HMP Brixton is undergoing a regeneration project and was looking for an organisation to work with to develop the building into an opportunity for rehabilitation.
'The central location lends itself to securing support from local businesses and members of the public, providing they are committed to The Clink’s vision and once the necessary security checks have been processed, providing real-life experience for those prisoners who make it through the selection process to join the programme.”
In addition to helping reduce reoffending, The Clink Charity also aims to change the public’s perception about prison and the opportunities to rehabilitate prisoners effectively.
In 2012, The Clink Cymru and The Clink HMP High Down welcomed over 15,000 diners to their restaurants. The charity, in partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison Service, aims to open a further six Clink Restaurants over the next four years.