The Clink’s HMP Brixton restaurant secured for further five years
The Clink Charity has secured a further five-year contract to operate its restaurant at HMP Brixton, following a competitive commercial procurement process run by the Ministry of Justice.
The decision ensures the continuation of one of the charity’s longest-running prison restaurant programmes, which has been operating at HMP Brixton for 11 years and is widely recognised for its role in training people in custody for careers in hospitality while reducing reoffending rates.
The renewed contract comes after what The Clink described as a challenging period for the charity sector and the justice system more broadly, with increased scrutiny on funding, outcomes and long-term sustainability.
Eleven years of hospitality training inside HMP Brixton
Since opening, The Clink at Brixton has functioned as a fully operational restaurant, open to the public, where people in custody are trained in professional kitchen and front-of-house roles under the supervision of experienced hospitality professionals.
Read more: A visit to The Clink
The programme is designed to mirror real-world hospitality environments, with participants gaining accredited qualifications, discipline, confidence and employment pathways upon release.
The charity works in partnership with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), the Ministry of Justice and the New Futures Network, using hospitality as a tool for rehabilitation and skills development.
Over more than a decade at Brixton, the restaurant has become a flagship example of how food-led training can deliver measurable social impact alongside professional standards.
“It rebuilds lives and changes perceptions”
Donna-Marie Edmonds,
chief executive of The Clink Charity, said the decision to retain the Brixton restaurant was a moment of pride for the organisation.
She said: “It is no secret that 2025 has been a difficult year, not only for The Clink, but also for the wider charity sector – and indeed for the Ministry of Justice.
“What is so clear, from the 11 years The Clink at Brixton has been operational, is that it rebuilds lives, reduces reoffending, and changes perceptions as to what people in prison can achieve.”
Donna-Marie added that the charity took its responsibility seriously as custodians of the programme and was focused firmly on its future delivery.
“We take our responsibility as custodians of this pioneering and special programme very seriously, and we look now to the future by continuing the crucial work that The Clink was founded to do,” she said.
She also paid tribute to staff, trustees, funders, suppliers and colleagues within HMP Brixton, alongside partners at the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS.
Hospitality’s role in rehabilitation
The Clink model has long been cited within hospitality as an example of how the industry can play a meaningful role in social rehabilitation, offering structured training in an environment that values discipline, teamwork and accountability.
Graduates of the programme have gone on to secure employment across restaurants, hotels and catering operations nationwide, at a time when recruitment and retention remain critical challenges for the sector.
With the Brixton restaurant now secured until 2030, The Clink Charity said it was looking ahead with renewed confidence.
Donna-Marie added: "Bring on 2026."
The Staff Canteen has always been more than a website—it’s a community, built by and for hospitality. We share the wins, the challenges, the graft, and the inspiration that keeps kitchens alive.
We believe in staying open to everyone, but creating this content takes real resources. If you’ve ever found value here—whether it’s a recipe, an interview, or a laugh when you needed it most—consider giving just £3 to keep it going.
A little from you keeps this space free for all. Let’s keep lifting the industry, together.
Support Us
CONTRIBUTE
The Clink’s HMP Brixton restaurant secured for further five years
