| General Details | Inspections |
| Regimes | Visits and getting there |
| Work and Education | Local News |
General Information
| Name or Prison | HMP & YOI Hollesley Bay |
| Address: | Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 3JW |
| Other contact details: | |
| Web Site: | |
| Email: | |
| Main switchboard: | 01394 412400 |
| At Risk hotline: | |
| Fax: | 01394 410115 |
| Visits booking number: | |
| Visits booking email: | |
| Visits booking txt number: | |
| Type of Prison: | Male Cat D |
Governor:
The prison is part of the East of England Region and is run by HMPS. The #1 governor is Chris Huckle, who took over in September 2018, and the prison has a capacity of 485.
Hollesley Bay, near Woodbridge in Suffolk, is a Category D open prison and young offender institution with a long history: founded in 1887, it became a borstal in 1938 and once ran the largest prison farm in the country. Its former inmates include the writers Brendan Behan and Jeffrey Archer. It is currently in the process of merging its management with the neighbouring HMP Warren Hill.
The most recent independent inspection, in April 2024, rated Hollesley Bay “good” for safety, respect and preparation for release, and “reasonably good” for purposeful activity — a strong result. The Independent Monitoring Board’s latest annual report recorded no serious safety incidents and nearly 72% of men released going to a home address, while flagging some more practical concerns: a system for handling prisoners’ property that the board said needed a complete overhaul, high rates of missed healthcare appointments, and a shortage of day-release job opportunities despite the major Sizewell C construction project nearby. An early-release scheme also created a sharp, temporary spike in workload, with around 200 men discharged in six weeks against a more typical 60.
This is a generally reassuring picture; families may still find the practical visiting and contact details above useful for planning ahead.