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Wetherspoons are set to open in St Neots, following the granting of a licence by Huntingdonshire District Council for its new pub on the site of the old post office in New Street. Planning permission for this change of use was granted last December. Work should start on the conversion this September, to include the addition of a new single storey extension at the rear of the existing building, and the new pub is expected to open in February 2009. The new licence will allow opening until 0030 Sundays to Thursdays and 0130 on Fridays and Saturdays. Pub-goers in St Neots can expect cheap food and drink, including real ales of high quality at competitive prices. There are fears, though of the threat that Wetherspoons outlets can pose to existing pubs. The centre of St Neots has only a dozen or so pubs to share any hits in trade – and three have already closed since the year 2000.

At Kneesworth, the Red Lion, a picturesque old roadside inn near Bassingbourn, has closed and is reported to have been sold to a chain of Indian restaurants. Planning permission will not be needed for change of use from a pub to a restaurant. Bassingbourn will be left with two pubs - the Hoops, a Greene King pub, and free house the Pear Tree, after the closure of the Antelope a decade or so ago.

In Brampton the Harrier is expected to revert to an Indian restaurant following the impending sale of the lease. Previously it was changed to an Indian restaurant followed by a period of dual use as both an Indian restaurant and a pub.

Also in Brampton, the Grange is to be redeveloped as 14 flats, subject to planning permission. The Grange was built as a residence but over the years has also provided accommodation for a girl's school and military headquarters. It was converted to a hotel in 1980 and became very popular a few years ago for its gourmet food and local real ales under the proprietorship of Nick Steiger, previously of the Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon. More recently it became a guest house, but its viability has been compromised by the need for significant building repairs. Developers discussed various options with council planning officers, including demolition or refurbishment as an improved hotel, although this was not considered to be commercially viable. Conroy Construction Ltd propose retaining the original Georgian building and replacing existing additions with new single and two storey extensions and providing 9 flats on the ground floor, four on the first floor and one in the second floor roof space.

Greene King pub the Bell in Great Paxton has a new licensee, Mike Johnson, who took over last December with his partner Jenny and chef James Goodland.

Also last December, Dai Heafield took over the George at Fenstanton, and has been busy refitting the kitchen to be able to offer traditional pub fare. Dai also hoped to add more real ales, possibly from Wales or local producers.