Clink diners smuggled phones to prisoners
Guests at highly-rated prison restaurant in London accused of passing contraband to inmates
THE CLINK, an acclaimed restaurant staffed by inmates at Brixton Prison, is being used by criminals to smuggle mobile phones and drugs into the jail, a report has found.
Diners at the 120-seat restaurant, which has won rave reviews for the quality of its food, have been taking advantage of the access it provides to inmates to pass contraband inside.
Inspectors from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said in its 2017 annual report, published yesterday: “Possession and use of mobile phones remained a significant problem. Known sources of drug, phone and sim card importation include visitors, including to The Clink restaurant for a time, mail, and throw-overs [contraband being thrown over the perimeter walls].”
The Brixton restaurant was set up in the old prison governor’s house in the middle of the main courtyard, which dates to 1819, and is surrounded by the six jail wings which can house up to 798 prisoners.
Opened in 2014, it features barred windows and walls lined with panic buttons. The cutlery is plastic and diners, who must book online in advance and are security screened, are required to leave their phones at the door.
A three-course meal costs £29.95 a head, and diners are not allowed to consume alcohol or leave tips.
The Clink at HMP Brixton is rated London’s fourth-best restaurant of more than 18,000 eateries on Tripadvisor.
Reviewers gush about the food and critics, including Giles Coren, have described it as fantastic.
The restaurant was the third to be opened by The Clink Charity, which launched the project with the aim of providing inmates with valuable skills required to work in top restaurants.
The project has been backed by Lady Edwina Grosvenor, the second daughter of the 6th Duke of Westminster, and chefs such as Giorgio Locatelli and Antonio Carluccio, and has been credited with reducing reoffending. In 2011, graduates from the first two Clink restaurants in HMP High Down and HMP Cardiff recorded reoffending rates of just 12.5 per cent compared with an average of 47 per cent.
Graduates, who gain NVQS in food preparation, food service and cleaning, are often taken on by leading eateries and hotels on their release, with former inmates now working at Wahaca, Carluccio’s and upmarket hotels such as the Lancaster London.
A Prison Service spokesman said: “We are taking unprecedented action to stop illegal contraband entering our prisons. All visitors are thoroughly searched before entry, and those caught smuggling contraband will face the full force of the law.
“HMP Brixton has recently stepped up intelligence led searches, as well as investing in new sniffer dogs and dog handlers.”
The Ministry of Justice said it was not aware of any incidents in which visitors successfully smuggled contraband into HMP Brixton when visiting The Clink restaurant.