A top rated restaurant in Wilmslow is in the grounds of a prison and employs and trains up serving prisoners. The Clink Restaurant in Styal is one of four eateries in the UK giving a second chance to people whose lives have been blighted by crime.
The restaurant is found at a stunning chapel on the grounds of HMP Styal and has been opened since April 2015. The Clink offers full-time work and qualifications to its students, and has attracted rave reviews from diners.
Speaking to CheshireLive, Jenny Thomas, 36, who has managed the restaurant for 18 months said: “It’s within the prison grounds, we’re in the old chapel. It’s a beautiful building; it’s the chapel that was attached to the old children’s home here. All our students love to read up about the history of it, and they will speak to the customers about it.
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"Some of the customers we find were actually children in the children’s home, and they come especially because of that. It’s quite strange, we say ‘you tell us then, what was it like for you?”
She continues: “We train the women; we take them once they’ve got their open status – we are now working with people who can come out of the prison on day release as well – and we work alongside them to gain their City & Guilds qualifications.
“Sometimes our students have basic to none cooking skills, so once they’ve been in the kitchen for a week or two. Obviously, straight off you’re always going to think you can’t do it, but after a while it just builds their confidence, they find that they’re really enjoying it and they grow a passion for cooking.
“Sometimes that doesn’t work; sometimes they’re absolutely going to burn water every single time and they want to work front-of-house, and that’s fine. I’m not a chef, I work front of house, so I’m the same in that respect.”
Jenny adds: “We will work alongside them, support, guide, and help them every step of the way.”
Once students are released or have completed their qualifications, Jenny says that they often stay in the hospitality industry: “We have a number of employers who work alongside us; they let us know when they’ve got a role available and then we’ll be able to fill that with one of our students once they’ve graduated.”
Jenny adds: “I find that to show the students who have been here a while how far they’ve come, and to show them that they actually know what they’re doing is to get them to work alongside one of the new people. You give someone responsibility and they shine.”
Of 1,032 reviews for The Clink at Styal on Tripadvisor, 885 give the restaurant top marks, with the site listing the restaurant as the best in Wilmslow. One described their food as “Heavenly”, saying: “If you're reading this because you are wondering if a prison restaurant is really somewhere you want to try, let me dispel your prejudices.
“This place is definitely not like a scene from a prison TV drama. It is housed in the old Victorian chapel of what had been an orphanage and is run independently of the prison itself.”
Another called it a “Fantastic Experience”, saying: “Had breakfast today and it was beyond amazing.
“Each meal was to perfection. Presented beautifully, hot and couldn’t get fresher.
“A HUGE THANK YOU to Sharon today’s chef, your meal was perfect, we could not fault anything. Keep up the fantastic work you’re doing, wishing every success for your future.
“Can’t wait to visit again, will recommend to more family & friends. This was my third visit and first time for my niece, her husband and my friend.”
They added: “We cannot thank you enough for the service and food, such a wonderful place. Immaculately clean, everywhere!”
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