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Cafe staffed by ex-prisoners opens its doors

Bea Swallow
BBC News, Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol visits the new Bristol café run by ex-prisoners.

A new cafe which will create employment opportunities for recently released prisoners has officially opened its doors.

The Key Cafe began welcoming customers to the newly renovated Ministry of Justice (MoJ) building on Gloucester Road, in front of HMP Bristol, on Friday.

The not-for-profit initiative will act as a bridge between prison, rehabilitation and employment in a bid to reduce reoffending rates by providing practical skills and building confidence.

Chef and project manager, Tom Green, said the scheme aimed to "help break the cycle of reoffending and give people the opportunity to change the direction of their life".

Items on the menu are made by inmates at HMP Bristol, ranging from focaccia and cookies to traybakes, granola, honey and jam.

Google A Google street view screenshot showing the entrance into HMP Bristol prison. It is a large boxy looking building with inset windows. There are yellow railings and an electric barrier leading into the car park. There is a red brick wall that surrounds the perimeter of the prison along with various trees and bushes.Google
The cafe will provide sustainable employment for people released on temporary licence or who have recently left HMP Bristol

Mr Green, who runs Jail Jar jam-making workshops inside the prison, said he became involved with the project after noticing a gap in support for recently-released prisoners.

"I realised how much help I can give with my skills," he said.

"Food is such a forgiving, wonderful thing to be a part of. Instantly, you get so much out of it and you make people happy.

"It's a really nice industry for people to go into, and you can learn a lot very quickly so it's just about giving people that opportunity."

The interior of the newly refurbished Key Cafe. It is a modern building with a slightly industrial feel. The ceilings are high with hanging overhead lamps, and there are large arched windows on the right letting plenty of light in. There is a sofa on the far wall with framed pictures hanging above it. There is a tiled column in the middle of the room with a wooden table around it. On the right there is a ramp leading outside with metal barriers either side.
Plans for the not-for-profit initiative have been in the works since 2022

The initiative is being run by the Restore Trust - an organisation dedicated to ex-prisoner rehabilitation and community integration.

Chief executive Suzanne Thompson said she hoped the cafe would give people the chance to learn skills, improving not just their employability, but also their self-confidence.

"It's something so important, it actually matters to all of us because reducing reoffending costs in excess of £18bn of public money every year," she said.

"Those are sums that can be better invested in other public services."

Suzanne Thompson standing in the Key Cafe, smiling at the camera. She has long, wavy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. She is wearing a dark grey jacket and a silver necklace chain. Behind her are various columns and walls covered in white tiles with black grout.
Suzanne Thompson said the scheme aimed to "benefit society as a whole"

Workers will be supervised by experienced hospitality staff with a background in criminal justice and rehabilitation.

Trustee Emily Mellon said she hoped the public would embrace the scheme.

"You could be being served by ex-inmates every day of your life, your favourite barista, your favourite person behind the tills in the supermarket," she explained.

"People don't wear badges that say 'I've been in prison'. I would just say come in and give us a go."

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