Prison Restaurant Opens to Train Inmates and Boost Hospitality Staffing

The Right Course charity launches 'Flavours Unlocked' at HMP Drake Hall, offering hospitality skills to prisoners and addressing sector shortages.

Generic image of a professional restaurant kitchen interior with stainless steel equipment and organised workspaces.
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Generic image of a professional restaurant kitchen interior with stainless steel equipment and organised workspaces.

A new training restaurant, 'Flavours Unlocked', has opened at HMP Drake Hall in Staffordshire, aiming to equip female prisoners with hospitality skills and address staffing shortages in the West Midlands sector.

The initiative, spearheaded by The Right Course charity, founded by Fred Sirieix, offers industry-standard training and recognised qualifications, creating pathways to employment for participants upon release. This programme is designed to reduce reoffending rates by providing prisoners with valuable skills and job opportunities.
Supported by hotel group Hilton, which provides expert trainers and best practices, and funded by the Government's £1.5m Hospitality Fund (2026-27) and the new Hospitality Grant Scheme, the restaurant aims to supply the hospitality sector with a new pool of trained staff.
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"Hospitality is a vital part of Britain’s economy, but businesses need access to skilled, dedicated staff to succeed. The Right Course is a fantastic charity, improving the lives of its participants. Working with charities and employers, we are determined to unlock talent wherever it is found and allow people to build a better future for themselves, businesses and their communities."

Kate Dearden · Minister for the Future of Work
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"Prison must be a punishment, but it must also give offenders the tools to turn their backs on crime for good. Education and employment are vital to that mission, and programmes like The Right Course show what can be achieved when prisons, charities and businesses work together to help offenders build better lives. That means fewer people reoffending, fewer victims and safer streets."

Catherine McKinnell · Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending
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"By working in partnership with industry leaders like Hilton, and the prison regime, we are creating the right environment for our learners to turn their lives around, to gain the confidence, skills and aspirations needed to positively contribute to society. I want our graduates to be the best so that our employer partners snap them up and see them as valued members of their team. It’s up to our new learners to seize this opportunity."

Fred Sirieix · Founder and Trustee of The Right Course
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"At Hilton, our mission is to create opportunities for all and break down barriers to employment. Through our partnership with The Right Course, Flavours Unlocked is helping bring that commitment to life by giving women in custody practical hospitality training, industry skills and a clearer route into work. For our industry, it is also a powerful reminder that talent can be found in many different places, and that with the right support, hospitality can open the door to meaningful, long-term careers. Hospitality is a vital UK industry, a cornerstone of all our lives. However, the sector faces numerous challenges that requires multiple approaches for it to thrive. The Right Course offers one practical way to provide the sector with a pipeline of trained and engaged staff ready to work, while giving people who have spent time in prison a second chance, cutting reoffending and helping them build transferrable skills such as communication, customer service and teamworking."

Stephen Cassidy · Senior Vice President, UK & Ireland, Hilton
The opening event was attended by Kate Dearden, Minister for the Future of Work, and Catherine McKinnell, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, alongside Fred Sirieix and other industry leaders.
Based on information from the official source: Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (04/11/2026)