DO we need a prison in every town? Discuss.

Some would argue the case that all big towns could fill a prison, while others may say they wouldn’t want a great big ugly building on their doorstep.

Have you seen the quality of the food though? Can our restaurants better it or do we need one like The Clink?

Obviously, we ask this tongue in cheek as there are some fine restaurants in our towns, but the standard on offer at The Clink — in High Down Prison, Surrey — does look pretty special.

Maybe not worth a spell inside, mind.

This is a good old-fashioned warts-and-all documentary following the work of prisoners in the restaurant, with no holds-barred when it comes to reporting their ups and downs, why they’re in there, what they want to achieve in the restaurant and what their chances will be like if and when they make it outside.

Chef Al Crisci worked at the famous Mirabelle before taking on the challenge of opening the UK’s only commercial prison eaterie.

Celebs have noshed there and the inmates can earn a relatively decent £14.70 a week while learning a craft — all good stuff and the food looks fantastic.

Crisci and the prison support worker have a difficult job, though, as time and again they are let down by prisoners who, despite their best intentions of doing a good job and using this opportunity as a path to a future career, throw a wrong ’un.

Amazingly, though, their positivity shines through in this documentary.

Levan was thrilled at his chance and seems like a bright enough lad, yet one day into his job he hacked into the computer billing system, while Dominic nicked a bottle of Fanta and broke the no-smoking rule.

Minor offences, but showing the lack of discipline that probably got them into prison in the first place.

Hence, they can’t be trusted to work in the dining room or the kitchen.

Some of the prisoners you despair for, and the documentary is impressively unbiased, just letting the actions of the people tell the story.

Robbie is the success of this episode, completing a shift, on his release, at Locanda Locatelli and proudly proclaiming: “Smashed it.”

A programme that managed to be funny, engaging, heartwarming and depressing all at the same time.