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Former prisoners to run new cafe
A charity cafe is set to open with the goal of reducing reoffending rates by offering practical skills and work experience to individuals transitioning from prison.
Key Cafe, founded by The Restore Trust, a leading organisation focused on rehabilitation and reintegration into the community, aims to be more than just a coffee shop – a springboard for those seeking a fresh start.
The new café will be located on Gloucester Road between the Golden Lion and Sainsbury’s, just a few hundred yards from Bristol Prison.
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The Ministry of Justice-owned building will house Key Cafe, providing transitional, paid employment for people who have recently been released from prison.
In collaboration with well-known local businesses such as Single Variety Co., Canton Tea, and Triple Co Roast, the cafe will serve high-quality food and drinks while championing a social cause.
The new café will be located between the Golden Lion and Sainsbury’s on Gloucester Road, a few yards from HMP Bristol – photo: Ellie Pipe
A key highlight of this project is a special collaboration with the award-winning jam producers, Single Variety Co.
Ross Elliot, director of Single Variety Co, said: “As a local company, we’ve always sought ways to give back to our community. The Key Café’s mission of reducing reoffending through practical training really resonated with us.
“We’re thrilled to help create a unique jam for the café and, more importantly, offer new skills to individuals looking to turn their lives around.”
Renowned for their use of single-variety ingredients in creating premium jams, they will supply the cafe and also run hands-on jam-making workshops for former prisoners.
Single Variety Co. will supply the café with premium jars of jam and also run hands-on jam-making workshops for former prisoners – photo: Single Variety
These workshops are designed to provide participants with essential culinary skills and confidence, helping them establish a foundation for life after incarceration.
Additionally, jars of “Jail Jar Jam” will be available for purchase at Papadeli starting in November, with all proceeds going toward funding the project and acquiring necessary jam-making equipment.
The primary mission of Key Café is to offer individuals leaving the prison system a chance to gain valuable experience and develop new skills in a supportive, practical setting.
By partnering with local suppliers and providing real-world training, the café is determined to address the issue of reoffending by offering a meaningful pathway to reintegration.
In addition to Single Variety Co, Key Cafe is partnering with Canton Tea, a leading premium tea supplier based in Bristol, known for their ethically sourced whole-leaf teas, which are featured in some of the finest restaurants in the world such as the Ritz, Soho House and Savoy Grill.
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The Restore Trust, a Horfield-based social enterprise that supports people back into work, has been championing the café for the past two years.
Key Cafe is expected to be up and running by April 2025.
Main photo: The Restore Trust
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