Prisoners are fuming after being served up COLD PIES for lunch. Rather than tucking into a steaming hot steak and kidney or chicken and mushroom pies, they are handed them straight from the fridge at HMP Stoke Heath in Staffs.
A report by inspectors from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said the reason given for not heating them up was that the ‘warming ovens’ had not been fired up. Warming ovens are used to keep already hot food at a consistent temperature rather than heat them up from scratch.
The report said that the number of complaints by lags at the 780-capacity prison had shot up by 12% in the past year, many about food. The IMB stated in its report last week that despite the kitchen doing an ‘admirable job’ in ensuring inmates have enough food to eat on just £3.03-per-inmate per day, there had been a ‘constant’ stream of complaints.
(Image: Getty Images)
It stated: “The kitchen does an admirable job of providing food for religious festivals, and all dietary needs are catered for, despite the mean per capita allowance of £3.03 per prisoner, per day. There are constant complaints to the IMB of poor portion size and menu choice
“Food is often tasted by IMB members, who generally agree with the prisoner population but realise the daily rate allowed and lack of on-wing facilities make any resolution difficult. Pies are an option at lunchtime, but the lack of warming ovens on the wings means these are served cold.”
(Image: handout)
The report also said that the ‘description’ of some dishes should be revised, adding: “The description of some menu items might need adjusting.
“For example, grilled beef on the menu for Christmas day was not a steak or burger, as some had expected, but was more like a stew. The food produced is adequate but unexciting. “
A prison source said: “A cold pie is ok in summer, but in winter getting a cold pie is a bit of a slap in the face.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.