From St Neots to northern France — by bike

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Richard Slade, Mayor of St Neots, reflects on a 300-mile charity cycling trip to our twin town

St Neots has been twinned with Fâches-Thumesnil in northern France since 1990. Over more than three decades, that partnership has had its ebbs and flows — but I wanted to mark this year’s visit to our new municipal partners with something a little more memorable than a flight and a handshake.

So I cycled.

On the morning of 2 May, I set off from St Neots at 6am, with friends riding alongside for the first stretch. The route took me south through London — past St Paul’s, across the Thames, through Greenwich — and then east across Kent, reaching Folkestone 150 miles and 1,800 metres of climbing later. It was the toughest day I’ve ever spent on a bike, and it wasn’t entirely smooth: a flat tyre coming out of London, two road closures, some heavy rain, and a rather unexpected hill right at the end.

Day two began with a Le Shuttle crossing to Calais and then a ride north-east through the French countryside into Flanders. As I got closer to Fâches-Thumesnil, I was joined by several of the town’s deputy mayors and the president of the local cycling club, who came out to ride the final kilometres alongside me. That gesture meant more than I can say.

At the town hall I was welcomed by councillors, the twinning committee, and a warmth I hadn’t fully expected — speeches, gifts, food and drinks. That evening, over dinner in Lille featuring le Welsh — a proper Flemish brasserie staple — we swapped stories about our towns, our councils, and what local democracy looks and feels like on either side of the Channel.

Fâches-Thumesnil has a new mayor, Brice Lauret, elected just weeks before my visit, and a fresh council full of energy and real commitment to the twinning relationship. I left with new friends, a symbolic chainring keyring pressed into my hand by the cycling club, and a genuine sense that this partnership has a bright future.

New EACH charity shop opens in the heart of St Neots

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East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) has opened a new shop in St Neots, bringing the charity’s retail network to 56 stores across the region.

The Market Square premises opened on Thursday 7 May, becoming the 12th EACH shop in Cambridgeshire. The store joins existing locations in Cherry Hinton, Ely, Huntingdon, March, Soham, St Ives and Whittlesey, as well as four shops within Cambridge itself.

The opening was marked by two local families who have received support from EACH at its Milton hospice, each cutting the ribbon on what they described as a proud and emotional occasion.

Among those invited was Pelin Palfrey, who attended with her daughter Aida, 15, who has CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder and has been receiving care at Milton since January. Also present was Claire Reece, whose son, EACH, supported Hugo from the age of two until his death in November 2024 at the age of 15. Claire spoke of the particular poignancy of the new shop opening in their hometown, noting that Hugo had loved visiting charity shops and had built up an enthusiastic collection of lunchboxes and rucksacks over the years.

Retail area manager Chris Wright said the St Neots location had been a long time in the making. “After a long search to find a suitable site, we’re delighted to be opening our doors to the community in the heart of this beautiful town,” he said, adding that the shop was about far more than retail — “a place where people can come together, support a fantastic cause and make a real difference.”

EACH supports children and families across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk through its three hospices, including Milton near Cambridge.

The shop is now open and the team is actively seeking volunteers. Anyone interested in getting involved can call 01480 597108 or email VolunteerServices@each.org.uk.

Universal Studios theme park Bedford FAQs

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Europe’s first Universal-branded entertainment resort is coming to Bedfordshire.

Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of Comcast NBCUniversal, is building its first-ever Universal-branded theme park and resort in the United Kingdom, located in Bedford, Bedfordshire. The entertainment resort complex will feature a world-class theme park with several themed lands, visitor accommodation, and a range of retail, dining and entertainment uses.

It will be the first Universal-branded theme park in both the UK and Europe.

Has planning permission been granted?

Yes. In December 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) approved Universal’s request for planning permission to be granted by way of making a Special Development Order (SDO). The proposal was sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

While there are still further steps to complete, including a statutory parliamentary review period, this represents a major milestone for the project.

When will construction start and when will it open?

On-site activity began gradually increasing following the December 2025 planning decision. Road improvement works associated with the project are already under way in the Bedford area in 2026. Universal indicated that construction was projected to begin in 2026, subject to planning approval being finalised.

A specific opening date has not yet been announced. Check universalukproject.co.uk for the latest updates.

What rides and experiences can we expect?

Universal has not yet released details of specific attractions, rides or themed lands. The resort will feature Universal’s signature style of immersive storytelling, thrilling rides and innovative entertainment across several themed lands.

Universal’s existing parks around the world at Orlando, Hollywood, Japan and Singapore‚ give a flavour of what a UK resort might offer, but specific details for the Bedford site will be shared in due course.

What accommodation will be available at the resort?

Initial resort plans include a 500-room hotel on site, alongside the theme park, a retail complex, dining and wider entertainment facilities. Further details on hotel brands, room types and booking information have not yet been released.

How will I get there? What transport improvements are planned?

The project will help deliver several significant local transport upgrades, including the expansion of Wixams railway station, new direct slip roads from the A421, and upgrades to Manor Road and the Active Travel Network. These improvements have support from National Highways and Network Rail.

Universal has also committed to low-carbon transport options, including one of the UK’s largest EV charging facilities and a fleet of electric or low-carbon vehicles to transfer guests from local railway stations to the resort.

How many jobs will the resort create?

The project is expected to create 20,000 jobs during the construction phase, with more than 5,000 workers on site at peak construction. Once operational, the resort will provide around 8,000 permanent jobs, making it one of the largest employers in the region.

Approximately 80% of employees are expected to come from Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. Opportunities in apprenticeships, training and education are also planned for the wider community.

What is the economic benefit for the region?

Universal estimates the resort will generate nearly £50 billion of direct and indirect economic benefit for the UK. It will be a major contributor to the tourism and creative industries, attracting millions of new visitors to the region each year and boosting local businesses and supply chains.

Will the resort be environmentally sustainable?

Sustainability is central to the project’s design. ESP Utilities Group has been appointed to deliver key green infrastructure, including a new water treatment facility designed to re-use and recycle water on site, an all-electric central energy plant to provide low-carbon heating and cooling, and enhanced surface water drainage to reduce local flood risk.

The project is designed to align with the UK’s net-zero 2050 trajectory, and the low-carbon energy plant has the potential to serve surrounding communities beyond the resort itself.

How can I register my interest in working at the resort?

You can register your interest in future job opportunities via the Universal UK Project website. Categories include park and resort operations, entertainment, food and beverage, construction, creative, finance, technology, HR, marketing and more. You can also check www.nbcunicareers.com/find-a-job for live roles as they are advertised.

Where can local businesses find out about supplier opportunities?

Local businesses interested in working with Universal on the project can register their details via the Universal UK Project website. Universal has encouraged local companies to get in touch and has expressed a commitment to working with regional suppliers and businesses throughout the construction and operational phases.

Are there any current road closures related to the project?

Yes. Early infrastructure works are already underway. Current planned closures include Broadmead Road (closed between Woburn Road junction and Hansons Reach Roundabout from 11 May to 12 June 2026), with temporary traffic management in place from 27 April. Woburn Road will also be closed from 8pm on Friday 5 June to 5am on Monday 8 June 2026, with traffic diverted via the A421.

Residents within closure areas will have a dedicated attendant escort to and from their properties. For the latest traffic updates, sign up for construction updates at universalukproject.co.uk.

How do I get in touch or find out more

Content accurate as of April 2026. All figures and timelines are subject to change.

Nationwide Building Society reopens its refurbished St Neots branch

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Good news for St Neots town centre, the Nationwide Building Society branch on Market Square has reopened following a thoughtful refurbishment of its historic banking hall, and it’s looking better than ever.

For a high street that continues to punch above its weight, this is exactly the kind of investment that matters. At a time when many towns across the country have seen banks disappear from their centres, St Neots retains a full-service Nationwide branch, the last bank on the high street, right in the heart of one of Cambridgeshire’s fastest-growing and most vibrant market towns.

The branch occupies a handsome Grade II listed building at 5 Market Square, a red-brick neo-Georgian property dating to 1860. The interior refurbishment has been carried out sensitively, with new customer service counter positions and a freshly decorated banking hall, all designed to preserve the building’s original architectural character, including its striking decorative cornice. It’s a fine example of how modern needs and heritage can sit comfortably side by side.

But Nationwide’s presence in St Neots goes well beyond bricks and mortar. The branch plays an active role in the community — running dementia-friendly clinics, offering digital skills sessions, supporting local fundraising, and volunteering in the town. It’s a reminder that the best high streets are about more than shopping; they’re about connection, support, and belonging.

Market Square sits at the heart of St Neots’ historic town centre, surrounded by independent shops, cafés, restaurants, and the beautiful riverside setting that makes the town such a draw for visitors and residents alike. The reopening of the Nationwide branch is a welcome addition to the story of a high street that is very much alive and thriving.

St Neots to get new construction and green skills training centre

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St Neots is set to welcome a brand new specialist training facility, as West Suffolk College — one of England’s newly designated Construction Technical Excellence Colleges — confirms plans to establish a micro-construction centre in the town focusing on construction and green technology skills.

The SkillsBuild Construction Training Centre, to be located on the eastern side of St Neots next to Love’s Farm, is part of a wider package of investment secured by West Suffolk College through £2.75 million in capital funding from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA). The funding will also support two other new centres: an East Cambridgeshire Training Centre in Soham and a health science centre in Ely.

A national accolade with local impact

The announcement comes on the back of West Suffolk College being named as the Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) for the East of England by the government, one of only ten such colleges in the country. The initiative, backed by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, aims to train 40,000 people nationally by 2029, equipping them with skills in areas including bricklaying, carpentry, electrical installation and plumbing.

West Suffolk College is part of Eastern Education Group, a family of outstanding colleges and schools. The college itself received an outstanding Ofsted rating in December 2024, joining its sister institutions Abbeygate Sixth Form College and One Sixth Form College in holding the top grade.

Laraine Moody, Group Principal for University and Professional Development, said the college is

“delighted to have been named as the Construction Technical Excellence College for the East of England” and is committed to “supporting massive infrastructure projects in the East of England — working with industry, other education providers, employer representative bodies and the government.”

Addressing a skills gap in a growing town

St Neots has long been identified as a further education “cold spot” — an area where the proportion of residents in further education is significantly below the regional average. With no FE college of its own, many young people and adults from the town have historically had to travel to Bedford, Cambridge or Bury St Edmunds for training and qualifications.

That picture is changing. St Neots is one of the fastest-growing towns in the country, with a masterplan for the Wintringham Park development that includes thousands of new homes and additional schools. The CPCA recognised that educational infrastructure needed to keep pace — and the new SkillsBuild centre is a direct response to that need.

Green skills for a green future

What makes the St Neots centre particularly significant is its focus not just on traditional construction trades, but on green technology — the skills needed to retrofit homes, install renewable energy systems and build the sustainable infrastructure of tomorrow. With the UK’s housing stock facing a major decarbonisation challenge in the coming decades, training in this area is a genuine growth sector with strong local employment prospects.

This aligns well with the wider Wintringham development, which has been designed with sustainability at its core, and with the broader ambitions of the CPCA to drive the region’s green economy.

What it means for St Neots

For residents, businesses and visitors, the arrival of a dedicated skills centre signals something important: St Neots is being taken seriously as a place to invest in people, not just housing. It reinforces the town’s growing status as a destination with real economic and community substance — a place where young people can build careers without having to leave, and where employers can find a locally trained workforce.

It is also a timely addition as St Neots prepares to put its best foot forward on the national and regional stage, including through its UK Town of Culture 2028 bid.

The SkillsBuild centre is expected to serve learners of all ages, including school leavers, apprentices, adults retraining and those moving into the green economy for the first time.

The Mayor of St Neots, Councillor Richard Slade, welcomed the news:

“This is exactly the kind of investment St Neots needs as our town continues to grow. We have thousands of new homes being built to the east of the town, and it’s vital that the skills infrastructure keeps pace with that growth. Having a specialist construction and green technology training centre right here — next to Love’s Farm — means our young people can build their futures locally, and local employers can access a workforce that’s been trained on their doorstep. I’m delighted that West Suffolk College has chosen St Neots, and I look forward to seeing the centre take shape.”

Capturing St Neots: inside Maciek Płatek’s process

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Maciek Płatek is a Cambridgeshire-based photographer specialising in interiors, architecture, and commercial work. With a sharp eye for light and composition, he creates considered, detail-driven images for businesses and private clients across the region — and many local people will know him as the photographer behind the popular St Neots Instagram account.

His ongoing project to document the buildings and landscapes of St Neots is quietly building into a remarkable visual record of the town. This month, he took on one of his most technically demanding subjects yet: St Neots Museum.

A difficult building to shoot

The museum — a former police station and magistrates’ court — presents a genuine challenge for architectural photography. Squeezed into a busy town centre location, it sits directly on a main road, hemmed in by street furniture, parked cars, and passing traffic. There is no clean sightline, no easy angle, and very little room to manoeuvre.

Maciek’s solution was to lean into the constraints rather than fight them — and to choose his moment carefully.

Blue hour and the long exposure

He set up his tripod on the opposite side of the road during blue hour: that short window after sunset when the sky holds a deep, ambient glow that bridges natural and artificial light. It is a time of day Maciek returns to repeatedly because it lends architectural subjects a quality of atmosphere that full daylight or full darkness rarely achieves.

Blue hour demands a slow shutter speed — typically two to three seconds — to compensate for the low light levels. This is where the busy road stopped being a problem and became an asset. At those exposure lengths, passing cars dissolve into soft trails of headlight blur, adding movement and energy to the frame rather than cluttering it. The stillness of the building is held in contrast against everything in motion around it.

Setup took around twenty minutes. Then came the waiting.

All 61 frames taken by Maciek Platek with different exposures and light levels.

Getting the light right

Timing, it turned out, was everything. The museum trustees happened to be meeting that evening, which meant the interior lights were on — warm, occupied, alive. For a building that can look cold and institutional in flat daylight, this was exactly the quality Maciek needed. The illuminated windows gave the facade depth and character, and created the kind of interior-to-exterior light balance that makes architectural photography genuinely difficult to achieve.

He shot methodically: fifty or so frames, some with passing cars in frame, some without, and some using a portable spotlight he had brought to selectively illuminate specific areas of the building’s surface. Those lit sections would give him more to work with in post-processing.

A single unedited frame that shows the light trails and under-exposed museum windows

The edit

Back at his desk, Maciek worked in Photoshop, drawing on a combination of traditional compositing techniques and AI-assisted tools to bring the final image together.

The core challenge in editing a blue-hour exterior shot is managing the exposure difference between inside and outside the building. The interior and exterior rarely land well in a single frame — windows either blow out or the facade goes dark. By blending multiple exposures, Maciek was able to hold both, retaining the warmth of the lit interior whilst keeping the exterior tones in the correct range.

Street furniture, signage, and visual clutter — including a security alarm box on the facade — were removed during retouching. This is a standard part of architectural post-processing: the goal is to reveal the building as it is, stripped of the temporary and the incidental. The spotlight shots allowed him to lift areas of shadow that the ambient light couldn’t reach.

Finally, selective tonal and colour adjustments were applied to unify the composite and bring the image to its finished state.

The result is one of the more technically accomplished images in what is becoming an invaluable photographic portrait of St Neots.

The final composite image showing all the layers in Photoshop required to get the final image.

Get your own print

You can follow Maciek’s work on Instagram or find out more about his commercial and private commissions here, visit his new online shop to purchase one of Maciek’s amazing photos of St Neots yourself, or pop into The Craft Shelf and browse his latest framed prints for sale.

St Neots helping to shape the future of regional heritage and tourism

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Discover St Neots, represents the town on two important regional working groups established by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, helping to ensure St Neots has a voice in shaping the future of heritage, tourism, and culture across the region.

Heritage and tourism working group

Discover St Neots is a member of the Heritage and Tourism Working Group, which was set up to support the Mayoral pledge of creating a strong sense of place and cultural identity across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The group brings together stakeholders from the cultural, creative, and heritage sectors to align strategies, share knowledge, and foster collaboration across the region.

Discover St Neots’s role involves contributing insight into local cultural and creative sector needs, supporting cross-regional partnerships, and providing input into policy discussions and strategy development. Crucially, he represents the interests of St Neots within the group — ensuring that the town’s voice is heard and that there is effective communication between the regional agenda and local networks.

LVEP working group

Discover St Neots also sits on the LVEP Working Group, which is applying for local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) status through Arts Council England. Achieving LVEP status would formally establish Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as a destination of choice on both the national and international stage — unlocking support, investment, and profile that benefits towns like St Neots across the whole region.

LVEPs are a nationally recognised framework championed by VisitEngland, designed to bring together local authorities, destination management organisations, and tourism businesses to develop joined-up strategies that sustainably grow the visitor economy.

What this means for St Neots

“St Neots has a compelling story to tell,” said Discover St Neots. “Our history, our riverside, our independent businesses — these are exactly the kinds of assets that make a destination worth visiting. Being part of these working groups means we can make sure St Neots is properly represented as the region builds its cultural and tourism vision.”

This work is at the heart of what Discover St Neots is all about—championing the town, connecting it to wider opportunities, and making sure it stands alongside the region’s larger destinations.

We’ll keep you updated as both initiatives develop. If you’re a local business or organisation and would like to find out more, please get in touch.

Boutiquey Home — a new home for beautiful things on Cambridge Street

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St Neots has a new gem tucked just off the high street. Boutiquey Home is a carefully curated home boutique on Cambridge Street, offering a beautiful selection of homewares and gifts for those who love their surroundings to feel just a little bit special.

After a quiet opening in October 2024, Boutiquey Home celebrated its official launch on Valentine’s Day 2025 — a fitting date for a shop that’s all about the things we love. The Mayor of St Neots joined the owner to mark the occasion with a ribbon cutting, bubbles, and a warm welcome from the local community.

Boutiquey sits alongside Wixy’z Hair & Beauty Lounge, and together the two businesses are bringing fresh energy to Cambridge Street, a short stroll from the town’s market square and high street.

Whether you’re hunting for a thoughtful gift or simply want to treat yourself, Boutiquey is well worth a visit.

Wixy’z Hair & Beauty Lounge — a St Neots institution, lovingly renewed

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Some businesses become part of the fabric of a town, and Pierre Hair Fashions was one of them. For years, Peter Wix built a reputation in St Neots not just for his excellent hairdressing, but for the warmth and welcome that made his salon a place people genuinely loved to visit.

Now, his daughter Zee has taken on that legacy. After a significant refurbishment, the salon has reopened on Cambridge Street as Wixy’z Hair & Beauty Lounge — a fresh new space that honours everything her father built while bringing its own personality and energy.

Zee and stylist Gemma offer high-quality hairdressing in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, and the team is completed by nail technician Shara, who specialises in gel, BIAB, hard gel and gel manicures.

The salon opened officially on Valentine’s Day 2025, with the Mayor of St Neots cutting the ribbon — a moment that felt particularly meaningful given Peter’s long-standing place in the community, and Zee’s determination to keep the Wixy name alive in the town where she grew up.

Whether you’re a long-standing customer of Pierre Hair Fashions or discovering Wixy’z for the first time, the team would love to welcome you on  Cambridge Street, St Neots. To book an appointment, get in touch directly via their social media or pop in to the salon.

St Neots launches bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028

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St Neots has announced its intention to bid for the prestigious title of UK Town of Culture 2028, with the programme being led by Neotists CIC, a local cultural organisation rooted in the town’s creative community.

Neotists CIC will work with partners across St Neots and the wider local region, including cultural organisations, community groups, businesses, education partners and local authorities, to develop a bid that reflects the town’s identity, ambition and creativity. The bid aims to show how culture in St Neots is shaped by local people and embedded in everyday life.

The UK Town of Culture programme celebrates the power of culture to strengthen communities, restore pride in place and create long-term social and economic benefits. For St Neots, the bid represents an opportunity to build on existing cultural energy while creating new opportunities for participation, skills development and creative careers.

Neotists CIC is a community interest company that supports, connects and champions creatives and cultural activity in St Neots and the surrounding area. It currently has over 350 members, representing a wide range of talents including artists, musicians, performers, writers, designers, filmmakers, producers and makers.

The organisation has a strong track record of delivery and is best known for St Neots Festival, the town’s largest contemporary cultural event. Across two full-scale festivals and two micro-festivals, Neotists has attracted a combined audience of around 35,000 people, bringing live music, performance, visual art and family activity into public spaces across the town. Alongside the festival, Neotists delivers year-round projects that support local talent, encourage collaboration and widen access to culture.

As one of the fastest-growing towns in Cambridgeshire, St Neots is at a pivotal moment. The UK Town of Culture 2028 bid will explore how culture can help shape sustainable growth, strengthen civic pride and support wellbeing.

Residents, organisations and businesses are invited to get involved and help shape the bid. To receive updates and opportunities, sign up to the Neotists newsletter.