The Clink (restaurant)
| The Clink Restaurants | |
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 The first Clink Restaurant opened at HMP Prison High Down.
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | May 11, 2009 |
| Chef | Alberto Crisci |
| Food type | European cuisine |
| Street address | HM Prison High Down |
| City | Banstead |
| County | Surrey |
| Postal/ZIP code | SM2 5PJ |
| Coordinates | 51°20′08″N 0°11′23″W / 51.3355°N 0.1897°W |
| Other locations | The Clink Brixton (London), The Clink Cardiff (Wales)and The Clink Styal (Wilmslow) |
| Website | www |
The Clink Restaurants are a major part of The Clink Charity’s prisoner rehabilitation initiatives. The charity’s mission is to break the cycle of crime by changing attitudes, creating second chances and transforming lives whilst reducing recidivism rates for the benefit of society as a whole.
Each prisoner who works in a Clink Restaurant studies for accredited NVQs in food preparation, food service and cleaning. Whilst working in a Clink Restaurant prisoners gain experience within an exciting, operational business and receive in-depth guidance to find full-time employment within the hospitality industry upon release.
There are currently four Clink Restaurants in operation located at HMP Brixton, HMP Cardiff, HMP High Down and HMP Styal.
Other initiatives from the charity include The Clink Gardens at HMP Send and HMP High Down, which provide training in horticulture, and Clink Events which provides external catering services with like-minded social enterprises such as Centrepoint – a UK charity for homeless young people.
The original concept was the idea of chef Alberto Crisci, who was awarded a Catey Award in 2011 for his work with the charity, and set up by him together with Finlay Scott and Kevin McGrath.
The first Clink Restaurant opened in 2009 at HMP High Down in Surrey, when Alberto Crisci MBE, then catering manager, identified the need for formal training, qualifications and support for prisoners in finding a job after release. Alberto is supported by the (then) Governor of HMP High Down, Peter Dawson, and founder trustees Finlay Scott, Kevin McGrath, Lady Edwina Grosvenor, Tim Wates and Kate Quigley-Ruby.
In 2010 Christopher Moore was appointed the charity’s first CEO as part of a long-term plan to expand the prisoner training concept across Her Majesty’s Prison Service. Within this role Christopher Moore focuses on increasing awareness of the work and skills being developed across The Clink training schemes as well as garnering support from the catering industry and securing the necessary funds for expansion.
In spring 2012 the Bromley Gardens opened at HMP High Down with six poly tunnels and a glass house offering space for prisoners to train in horticulture whilst producing up to three quarters of the vegetables and herbs used in The Clink Restaurants. As part of High Down’s commitment to sustainability, 50 tonnes of food waste is composted each year and 2,500 litres of used fryer oil is converted into bio-diesel to run the prison vehicles.
The second restaurant opened at HMP Cardiff in September 2012. This was the first Clink restaurant to be located outside prison walls. It works alongside HMP Prescoed to offer over 30 Category D prisoners from HMP Prescoed and HMP Cardiff full-time work within the kitchen, restaurant and gardens.
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