A prison cafe at Portland Dorset called The Jailhouse Cafe is helping to train prisoners and is going to introduce porridge on its menu soon.

The English slang phrase “doing porridge” means to serve a prison sentence and the cafe that helps to get prisoners back into society wants to move towards this healthy option too.

Inside a prison ‘oats’ are restricted as they can be used to produce illicit alcohol. However, this training facility and public cafe wants to be able to offer more health options for its customers.

Although the food and its connections to the TV comedy series called ‘Porridge’ is deep within the British mindset and makes people chuckle.

Open for visitors 6 days a week and in the Summer 7days. Its clifftop location is right at the centre of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast and sits 400 feet above the Dorset coast.

In order to get to the cafe you have to pass through a huge and rather foreboding stone gate and the prison warning signage does seem to put off customers. Although, its perfectly legal to drive through the gate and tunnel entrance to The Verne Prison in order to get the the cafe.

Once visitors get to the cafe they are rewarded with stunning views of Weymouth Bay, Portland Harbour and the white chalk cliffs that form part of the heritage coast on England’s South coast.

Inmates from another prison a mile away on Portland called HMP Portland are the only ones allowed to be transported to the cafe.

The Verne Prison itself has many sex offenders (Paul Gadd known as Gary Glitter has been the most famous).

Prisoners suitable for outside work are allowed to work at the Jailhouse Cafe and the inmates get training and advice to help them stay out of prison.

Learning catering and hospitality skills can give the prisoners a chance to work in the sector after release. Or as some of them that have been through the courses already even go on to run their own cafes!

This charity has been operating this cafe since 2012 and they also have a facility at HMP Guys Marsh too.