The Clink Charity to close HMP Styal restaurant after 10 years

A revolutionary restaurant that allowed female ex-convicts a chance of rehabilitation, has announced its closure.

Founded in 2009, The Clink Charity is an organisation dedicated to reducing reoffending rates by providing prisoners with vocational training and support in the hospitality industry.

The charity's five-step programme - recruit, train, support, employ, and mentor - ensures that participants receive comprehensive support during their sentence and after release.

The Clink operates several restaurants open to the public, including locations at HMP Brixton in London and HMP Styal in Cheshire.

Now, The Clink Charity has announced that its restaurant at HMP Styal will close its doors on Thursday, July 31 later this year.

In 2022, The Clink also announced the closure of its restaurant in Cardiff.

Read more: “We would like to thank our customers and patrons in Wales for their wonderful support”  

A spokesperson said: “The Clink and HMP Styal have worked closely together for 10 years, offering training and employment opportunities to women at the prison, as well as providing a socially-conscious, award-winning experience to customers.

“Due to a number of factors including costs and participant numbers, it has been decided that unfortunately the restaurant at HMP Styal is no longer viable at this time, in its current contractual delivery format.

“This partnership has been hugely successful, with many hundreds of qualifications delivered and Clink students trained. The Clink at Styal is also credited as training the first-ever female apprentices to complete a hybrid apprenticeship in custody and the community.

“Consistently rated as the best restaurant in Wilmslow and voted Cheshire Restaurant of the Year in 2024, The Clink at Styal has become a firm favourite of the local community, thanks to the combination of its award-winning food and social value.”

Donna-Marie Edmonds, chief executive of The Clink Charity, added: “The decision not to renew our contract at HMP Styal has been made with an incredibly heavy heart. The Clink Charity’s mission is to reduce re-offending and we have been doing this at Styal, producing outstanding results for over a decade.

“Although the restaurant will officially close this summer, our partnership at Styal will be remembered not only for its landmark training outcomes, but as a beacon of hope, where women have sought refuge and rehabilitation.”