Lags in Luxury: Prisoners’ Festive Feasts Revealed

The festive season wasn’t just merry for those on the outside – prisoners at the Isle of Man Prison in Jurby have been treated to a series of slap-up meals to celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year.

The exclusive details, released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Gef, reveal that inmates enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas Day, gammon steak on Boxing Day, and will kick off 2025 with a chicken dinner and chocolate fudge cake.

Here’s what’s on the menu for the inmates:

New Year’s Day

Breakfast: Cereal or a sausage bap.
Lunch: Roast chicken breast with vegetables, gravy, or Glamorgan sausage with sage and onion stuffing, carrots, and new potatoes. Dessert is a chocolate fudge cake.
Dinner (or tea, as it’s called on the menu): A plated finger buffet followed by a blueberry crumble muffin.

Christmas Day

Breakfast: Cereal or sausage bap.
Lunch: Roast turkey breast with cranberry sauce, sage and onion stuffing, gravy, brussels sprouts, and roast potatoes. Vegetarians had the option of two nutless roast slices. Dessert was traditional Christmas pudding.
Dinner: A finger buffet with mince pies and tangerines.

Boxing Day

Breakfast: Cereal or a bacon bap.
Lunch: Gammon steak with pineapple and chips, or a vegetable burger. Dessert was a vanilla slice.
Dinner: Another plated finger buffet, rounded off with a chocolate muffin.

No Extra Cost to Taxpayers

The FOI response confirmed that the festive feasts came at no additional cost to taxpayers.

The meals were made using pre-stocked ingredients within the prison’s existing budget.

While the response didn’t provide a breakdown of costs, it noted that the Freedom of Information Act doesn’t require public authorities to create or derive new data they don’t already hold.

Inmates were reportedly shown the menus in advance, complete with a festive message: “Merry Xmas to one and all.”

Special Diets Catered

The prison ensured that all special or religious dietary requirements were accommodated, so no one missed out on the seasonal cheer.