HMP Thameside

 

Key Contact Details

Name of Prison HMP Thameside
Address: Griffin Manor Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0FJ
Other contact details:
Web Site: http://www.hmpthameside.org/
Email:
Main switchboard: 0208 317 9777
At Risk hotline:
Fax:
Visits booking number: n/a
Visits booking email: n/a
Visits booking txt number: n/a
Type of Prison: Male Cat B

HMP Thameside is a new prison built in 2011/12, with a new wing added in 2015 and is run by Serco. It is part of the London Region . The #1 is David Bamford, who has been in charge since April 2020, and the prison has a capacity of 1232. It is in the same location as HMP Belmarsh and Isis

HMP Thameside is a large, modern Category B reception prison in Thamesmead, southeast London, built by Skanska for around £125 million and opened in 2012, with a further wing added in 2015 to bring capacity to around 1,232. It stands on the same site as HMP Belmarsh and HMP Isis, is run by Serco, and takes around 100 new arrivals every week from London’s courts.

An independent review of progress in January 2026 found new leadership had driven meaningful improvements, particularly in healthcare, with good progress on clinical governance, primary care, and health needs assessment. However, violence remained stubbornly high, among the worst for comparable reception prisons, drug availability had not improved, and transfers of seriously mentally unwell prisoners to hospital were taking an average of 66 days against a recommended maximum of 28. The Chief Inspector acknowledged real progress but said there remained a lot of work to do on safety and getting prisoners into activities.

For families staying in touch with someone at Thameside, the contact details above remain the best way to arrange a visit and check on their wellbeing.