| General Details, | Inspections, |
| Regimes, | Visits and getting there, |
| Work and Education | Local News |
Key Facts and contact details
| Name of Prison | HMP Gartree |
| Address: | Gallow Field Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7RP |
| Other contact details | not available |
| Web site: | not available |
| Email: | not available |
| Main switchboard | 01858 426 600 |
| Fax: | 01858 426 601 |
| Visits booking number: | 01858 426 727 |
| Visits booking email: | SocialVisits.Gartree@hmps.gsi.gov.uk |
| Visits booking txt number: | not available |
| Type of prison: | Male Cat B Lifer centre |
Gartree, near Market Harborough in Leicestershire, opened in 1965 on a former RAF site and has long been one of the country’s main centres for men serving life and other indeterminate sentences. It became notorious in 1987 when a prisoner escaped by helicopter, an incident that led to tighter security across the whole prison estate. A new 1,700-place prison is currently being built on adjacent land as part of the government’s wider prison-building programme, alongside the existing site.
An HMIP inspection in January 2023 found the prison environment poor and the fabric of the buildings in a state of disrepair, with many communal areas dirty. The Independent Monitoring Board’s most recent annual report echoed this, describing ongoing problems with leaking roofs, poor heating — leaving some prisoners without heat for weeks, including on the wing for men over 50 — and Legionella contamination forcing repeated shower closures. The board also raised concerns about a lack of data from the healthcare provider and long waits for mental health support, particularly for prisoners serving IPP sentences held well beyond their original tariff. On a more positive note, most prisoners reported feeling safe, staff relationships were generally good, and the therapeutic community units had strong track records with waiting lists to join.
Given the building condition issues raised, families may want to ask directly how a prisoner is coping day to day, alongside using the practical visiting and contact details above.