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The permanent closure of radon-hit Dartmoor Prison would have a disastrous effect on the local economy and small businesses. That’s the view of one pub landlord in Princetown who says he is already feeling the hit from a massive fall in visitors.
It comes after business leaders estimated permanently axing the jail would cost the Devon economy £30million a year. The decaying Victorian prison is currently sitting empty with a skeleton staff after temporarily closing last year due to high levels of the radioactive gas being detected.
A decision on whether it ever opens again has yet to be made. The landlord at local pub The Prince of Wales says people are “doubtful”. John, who doesn’t want to reveal his surname, said: “It’s hit our accommodation hard through the winter.
“We would usually have visitors to the prison who come and stay, Ministry of Justice officials, contractors working on the prisons staying over, loads of different people.
“The prison has always been a big part of the community. There is no staff accommodation there so some of them might pop in for a pint of their way home.
“And there is no staff canteen at the prison either so you would see them every day wandering down to get fish and chips or buy something from the shop. It’s all stopped now.
“The accommodation is the worst hit for us. It’s very seasonal here and we didn’t notice during the summer but as soon as winter came along we suddenly didn’t have any bookings.
“They’ve got to do something and make a decision because I know it is costing them an annual rent to keep open and there is a long-term lease. They can’t leave it to ruin.”
John, who has run the pub for seven years, says he is “worried” about its future and the future of other local businesses. The combination of the prison shutting as well as the prison museum and the announcement that the Dartmoor Visitor Centre could close by the end of the year is seen as a big blow.
Radon is a radioactive gas that people can’t see, smell or taste. It comes from rocks and soil found across the UK.
In February 2024 some cells were showing unexpectedly high readings or radon gas. In March 2024 the prison board said it had “a number of serious concerns” related to the exposure of prisoners and staff to the potential risks of lung cancer and other risks.
There have been suggestions that prisoners or staff might contemplate legal action if they consider they’ve been put at risk.
John says people living and working on Dartmoor have always been aware of radon and “nothing has changed”.
Tim Jones, chairman of Devon Business Council says the MoJ is facing massive costs issues related to the annual £1.5m a year rent to the Duchy of Cornwall and an estimated £70m repair bill. But the loss of nearly 700 prison places is also putting huge pressure on the system.
Tim adds: “I have made an assessment of the annual hole in the Devon economy overall for this of £30m per annum. The cost issue is a combination of figures, these include the direct employment of around 160 full time officers and the indirect employment which is approximately the same again. This includes independent suppliers, service companies, independent training providers.
“There is also the aggregate effect of closure on Princetown itself – local shop, visitor centre and Dartmoor Museum.
“The ask for government is very clear. Either they commit the money to radon mitigation works… or they declare the property as unfit for occupancy.”
A recent monitoring report found the prison is in a desperate state. It said an area outside A Wing was “infested with rats”. Birds, insects and bats have also overrun some areas where windows have been left open.
The prison buildings are leased from the Duchy of Cornwall and the Prison Service is responsible for their upkeep. A new 25-year lease came into effect in December 2023. The minimum term is for ten years.
