The Clink Restaurant, part of The Clink Charity, is to close its doors after more than ten years of providing fine dining in the capital of Wales.
The Clink Charity will continue to maintain its presence in Wales through supporting graduates of the Clink Restaurant into employment and through its Clink Kitchen scheme which trains prisoners in prison kitchens to become qualified to work in hospitality after release.
In May 2022, it was announced that the number of Clink Kitchens across the prison estate had quadrupled since September 2021. Supported by her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Clink Kitchen scheme will expand into even more prisons over the next year including HMP Cardiff and HMP Swansea.
Currently, there are 30 Clink Kitchens across the prison estate as of this month. The programme continues to expand with the next 20 due to open in the next six months.
Yvonne Thomas, the Chief Executive of The Clink Charity said:
“It’s a sad day for us – Wales is such an important part of The Clink. Over the last 10 years, we have trained more than 400 serving prisoners and people on probation, helped them to get and keep jobs, and to stop people offending.
“We would like to thank our customers and patrons in Wales for their wonderful support over the last 10 years. We look forward to continuing our work in Wales training people who have offended in partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.”
Notes to editor:
The Clink Restaurants continue to train and support people in prison and serve the public in London (HMP Brixton), Surrey (HMP Sutton) and Cheshire (HMP Styal).
Clink Kitchens provide prisoners the opportunity to gain real life hospitality skills while working in the prison kitchen, preparing and serving meals for other inmates.
In May 2022, the Clink Charity, alongside the Ministry of Justice, announced it had doubled the amount of Clink Kitchens across the prison estate.
The lease for The Clink Restaurant Cardiff cannot be renewed.
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