The Clink Charity has announced that its restaurant at HMP Styal will close its doors on Thursday 31 July, after 10 years of operation.
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.
The joint venture between Her Majesty's Prison Service and The Clink Charity has been successful in delivering many hundreds of qualifications and training Clink students, including the first-ever female apprentices to complete a hybrid apprenticeship in custody and the community.
Students at the restaurant will complete their qualifications and be provided with rehabilitation support into 2026.
Donna-Marie Edmonds, Chief Executive of The Clink Charity, said: "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. As one of those students puts it: 'If it wasn't for my journey at The Clink, I wouldn't be where I am now."
