More than 3,000 people sign petition to save prison cafe
Cafe Britannia will close on tomorrow. Picture: Archant - Credit: Archant
A petition has been launched to save Norwich's Café Britannia with more than 3,000 signing it this morning.
The petition will be sent to the Ministry of Justice which has given a notice to management at the café to vacate the premises.
As a result, the cafe which offers work rehabilitation to prisoners, will close on Friday.
MORE: Cafes to close with 50 staff set to lose jobs
A second site, the Park Britannia in Waterloo Park Pavillion, is also set to close.
The social enterprise helps convicts both serving time in prison and after their release by providing them with work rehabilitation.
A Facebook group, 'Save Cafe Britannia', has also been set up.
One person wrote in the group: "Save our cafe - one of the best in Norwich with brilliant views and great ethics on rehabilitating prisoners."
Another posted: "This is a tremendous cafe full of character and so good for the rehab of the inmates of HMP Norwich."
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The Café Britannia has been trading out of its site beside HMP Norwich for five years under the stewardship of owner Davina Tanner OBE.
One manager, who asked not to be named said: "This place has given me a new life and the same to my family. I don't know how I'm going to pay the bills."
The Café Britannia has a number of conference rooms at the site overlooking Mousehold Heath and a small shop.
The Ministry of Justice did not comment.
