Category: Cambridgeshire

It has been described as a “rare opportunity” for a research-led occupier to acquireA newly built research and development facility in Ely has been put on the market for £4.5 million(Image: Watling Real Estate)A newly built research and development facility in Ely has been put on the market for £4.5 million. The property, at Lancaster Way Business Park, is a freehold mid-tech facility which extends to around 38,750 sq ft.It has been put on the market by DTRE and Knight Frank on behalf of joint fixed charge receivers at Watling Real Estate. The building provides Class one laboratories, Category A offices, cold storage, and full-height warehouse accommodation.Situated on a large, landscaped plot, the site offers 91 car parking spaces, including four disabled bays and two electric vehicle charging bays. The property is a fully fitted R&D building arranged over two floors.Toby O’Sullivan, director at Watling’s Birmingham office, said that this is a “rare opportunity” for a research-led occupier to acquire a “best-in-class, fully fitted, turnkey property”.The mid-tech building includes fully fitted Class one laboratories, Category A office space, cold storage and full-height warehouse accommodation(Image: Watling Real Estate)He added: “The property is highly versatile with existing infrastructure to support CL 1/2 laboratories, GMP, clean rooms and cold storage, but also retains flexibility for a wide variety of alternative R&D and industrial uses.“We expect a high level of interest in the property and therefore encourage parties to contact the agents as soon as possible to register their interest.”It has been described as a “rare opportunity” for a research-led occupier to acquire(Image: Watling Real Estate)Lancaster Way Business Park covers 175 acres. It is located just a mile from Ely and offers a range of on-site amenities, including a gym, café, nursery, trim trail, EV charging facilities, dentist, and MOT centre.Lancaster Way Business Park is also 12 minutes by train to Cambridge North via a subsidised bus link to Ely station. Direct services provide access to London’s King’s Cross in approximately one hour.

Elif Birer, 38, started running about a month ago and came across the group on social media.She said she had enjoyed meeting new people and getting to know her local area better.Her husband, Gurkan Caner Birer, joined this week’s session for his first ever run.”Normally I say that running is boring, but when you’re with the community and everybody is talking to each other, it is very nice. I want to come again,” the 41-year-old computer scientist said.”When we came to Cambridge, it was very hard to meet with new people and to understand the community, how the system works, how the social life works, how businesses work.”It is very hard to understand when everything is new to you. These kinds of events are very helpful for us.”Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.

The restaurant opened just over a year agoMuddy Stilettos announced the winners on Tuesday, June 16(Image: Matt Hague)It is no secret that Cambridgeshire is full of culinary delights and selecting a restaurant worthy of a special occasion can take some thought. Thankfully, the Muddy Stilettos Regional Awards 2026 may help to narrow down your search, as one charming restaurant in Cambridge has been named as the best in the region.The restaurant taking the crown as the ‘best’ across Suffolk and Cambridgeshire is Margaret’s on Chesterton Road. Sibling to Michelin-starred Restaurant 22, which was also shortlisted, Margaret’s is a modern British bistro which offers a “produce led shared and set menu that elevates locally sourced ingredients”, according to its website.The lifestyle magazine, which announced the winners on Tuesday, June 16, has run its regional awards for 13 years. They aim to celebrate and show appreciation to the multitude of local businesses across the UK.Each year the magazine asks its millions of readers to nominate their favourite local businesses in 28 counties nationwide across 21 categories. The shortlisted finalists were revealed in April 2026, with a highly anticipated wait until the winner was crowned.Margaret’s, which only opened in June 2025, offers a seasonal set menu and prides itself on using local ingredients from a range of suppliers. As the menu changes regularly, a sample menu is available to give potential customers an idea of the dining experience they’d be in for.The sample menu features a selection from Yorkshire pork loin served with Romano peppers and wild asparagus, to a Suffolk chicken supreme with spring vegetables & its own garden herbs.The highly-commended finalists in Cambridgeshire included Ancient Shepherds in Fen Ditton, Midsummer House in Cambridge, Restaurant 22 in Cambridge, The Teller’s Table in St Ives, and Vanderlyle in Cambridge.One previous guest at Margaret’s wrote: “Words are not enough to describe what a brilliant experience this was. First I’ll start with the obvious; the food was phenomenal. You can tell that the chefs really put thought into everything that they prepare.”The flavours were incredibly well balanced. The food came out hot which is such an importance to me.”Another commented: “We’ve always been a huge fan of Restaurant 22 and have been looking forward to trying since opening. Very pleased to say that the quality of food and level of service has been mirrored at Margaret’s.”Meanwhile, another previous diner said they were “absolutely blown away” by Margaret’s roast. The review added: “The beef cheek stuffed Yorkshire pudding and the Australian truffle cauli cheese were both proper highlights.”This is an elevated, delicious and seasonal experience – every single element was exquisite, with combinations I couldn’t even dream of. The staff were super attentive and so friendly.”

Cycle wands on Cambridge’s East Road have been flattened, sparking debate among readers who suggest emergency vehicles could be to blame for the damage to the controversial traffic schemeDavid Prince and Cambridgeshire Live readers06:00, 20 Jun 2026Flattened cycle wands on East Road in Cambridge(Image: Cait Findlay – CambridgeshireLive)Readers of Cambridgeshire Live have been sharing their thoughts after cycle wands on a busy Cambridge road were flattened. Images showed several of the wands on East Road were lying completely flat.Residents expressed varying opinions on what caused the damage and what action should be taken. Many attributed it to emergency vehicles, while others demanded the posts be removed entirely. Some argued the scheme was simply worsening traffic congestion.A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire County Council confirmed the authority was aware of the flattened cycle wands. They said officers will inspect the site to assess the damage and replace the wands.A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the cycle wands on East Road which have been flattened. One of our officers will visit the area to review the damage and replace the wands as required.”One reader, Wachoooo suggests: “They’re flattened by emergency vehicles driving over them constantly, as it’s the fastest way to get through traffic.”Danieal writes: “Just remove them and put the road back to the way it was and was designed to be. We all know the barriers were only put in place to hold up traffic and create bottlenecks.”Calumen Nomen says: “Is that the end of the ‘trial’ then? When is it going to dawn on these people that we are never going to get back on buses and bikes – why should we? What’s their next plan – back to black and white tele for the plebs because it ‘saves carbon emissions’?”Banallbikes feels: “It’s proof that they are in the way of vehicles and serve no purpose, so they should be removed.”Over on our Facebook page, Szilák I comments: “It used to be 2 lanes and worked fine.”Sootys S says: “Cycle wands were put up to increase traffic queues, to justify introducing congestion charges, rather than for cycle safety.”Otto B writes: “Probably to let emergency vehicles through, cyclists and buses don’t use their lanes anyway.”Jonny S agrees: “Yes, flattened predominantly by Fire Engines because they have to use the cycle lane to bypass the massive backlog of traffic caused by making East Road a single lane. Because making a massive traffic choke point right next to the police and fire stations is clearly a great idea.”Should the trial of the cycle wand end now? Comment below or HERE to have your say.

A zoo where a three-year-old boy was attacked by a crocodile on Thursday has reopened to the public.The boy was critically injured after ending up in the animal’s enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.Johnsons – which also has an on-site farm shop, steakhouse, and tea room – opened on Friday but its crocodile enclosure remained closed “out of respect for the family”.Rebecca, 33, who had planned a visit to the zoo with her three-year-old daughter on Friday, told the BBC they had been lots of times before and still felt safe there.A 30-year-old man from Norfolk who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder has been released on bail, Cambridgeshire Police said.Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, Instagram, external and X, external.

Video showed police activity at a zoo where a three-year-old boy was left with critical injuries after ending up in a crocodile enclosure. Cambridgeshire Police said it was called to Johnsons of Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, at 13:24 BST, and a man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The boy was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with serious injuries and is in a critical but stable condition, the force said. A spokesperson for Johnsons of Old Hurst said its thoughts and prayers were with the boy and his family, and that its Tropical House would remain closed until further notice.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder18:34, 18 Jun 2026Updated 18:39, 18 Jun 2026Inside the reptile house(Image: CambridgeshireLive/Cait Findlay)Johnsons of Old Hurst has shared a statement after a 3 year old boy was ‘seriously injured’ on the afternoon of June 18.Officers were called to the zoo at 1.24pm on June 18 to reports of an incident involving a three-year-old boy, during which he ended up in the crocodile enclosure.The boy has been taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with serious injuries and is critical but stable. Specially trained officers are at the hospital supporting the boy’s family.A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Johnsons has now confirmed that the Tropical House part of the site will be closed until further notice.It has added that the team’s “thoughts and prayers” are with the boy and his family. Johnsons shared: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today.”Out of respect to the family, our Tropical House will remain closed until further notice. If you have any questions about the incident, please direct enquiries to Cambridgeshire Police Constabulary. The rest of the site will remain open as normal.”

Fire fighters quickly controlled a fire at the Alpine Spas stand.

Fieldays’ record crowds came with a catch – getting in from the north felt less like a drive and more like joining a very patient convoy.
A few nose‑to‑tail mishaps added to the crawl, turning the approach into a full-length farm parade.
The Fieldays vehicle queue from the north was more than a kilometre long. Photo: Roy Pilott
The Fieldays vehicle queue from the north to the Tamahere turnoff was more than a kilometre long. Photo: Roy Pilott
Inside the gates, success brought its own drama. Cleaners barely turned their backs before toilet facilities descended into chaos, proving that crowds and cleanliness have a complicated relationship.
Cambridge News 18 June 2026
Long queues and maintenance issues were among the most frequent complaints, and improvements will include more facilities and upgrades to existing blocks.
“Toilets were a challenge,” Fieldays chief executive Richard Lindroos said.
“That’s a classic sign of success. We need to invest more in facilities and keep lifting standards.”
Traffic management also came under scrutiny. While some routes worked well, including shuttle services from Cambridge, Te Awamutu and Hamilton, others were slower to clear.
Safety systems were tested in a minor fire at an exhibitor site on closing day, which Lindroos said demonstrated the team’s preparedness with a quick and controlled response.
.. and while sales were excellent, it took a long time to spend a penny. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Fire fighters quickly controlled a fire at the Alpine Spas stand. Photo: Supplied

Homes England and The Hill Group are still to decide on a masterplan for the Cambridge East developmentCllr Lucy Nethsingha (right)(Image: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority)Cambridge is “already extremely well provided” amid calls for a new “lifelong learning” college on the Cambridge Airport site, the combined authority has said. Homes England and The Hill Group announced they had bought the land earlier this month with plans to build thousands of homes and a railway station.A regional training hub is one of the options that the developers are considering before they settle on a masterplan for the area. Antony Carpen, a resident who runs the Cambridge Town Owl blog, urged Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to enter into discussions to “explore the possibility” of building a new lifelong learning college near the planned Cambridge East station.He said this “could help reverse the decline in enrolment in adult skills” and “provide the much-needed facilities that might enable adults looking to retrain in areas with chronic skills shortages to make the change”.A council report said that enrolment in adult skills and tailored learning had fallen in the last year by 6.2 per cent in total learners and 7.4 per cent for new starters. Peterborough accounted for over 40 per cent of learners and enrolments, “significantly exceeding its share of the adult population”.Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, chair of the skills committee, said the decline is not identified as “being always driven by a lack of physical premises or the availability of provision within communities”.Cambridge Airport(Image: Google Maps)She said: “We will always keep future infrastructure opportunities under review, including in relation to the Cambridge Airport site. The authority is focused on working with partners, including Homes England through the Strategic Place Partnership and the Cambridge Growth Company on the future skills needs of this area to enable inclusive growth.”She said the responsibility for education is shared between the Department for Education, local authorities and individual providers – not just the combined authority.The Liberal Democrat councillor said: “It’s about tracking provision but it’s also really important to be clear that take up of adult skills happens in a lot of different places which are not necessarily specific buildings.“Improving take up of adult skills is more about taking out mobile provision to find people where they are rather than building new sites. I would also say that if we were going to build new sites, Cambridge is already extremely well provided with education provision.”

Matthew James Hayward died of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome after being admitted to Peterborough City HospitalHMP Peterborough(Image: Google)An inquest will be held into the sudden death of a 28-year-old prisoner whose post-mortem report did not reveal “any abnormalities whatsoever”. Matthew James Hayward died of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in Peterborough City Hospital on August 28 of last year.Simon Milburn, area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said the inquest would seek to answer if “any cardiac issues should have been identified and acted upon” and “could Mr Hayward’s death have been prevented”. Speaking at a pre-inquest hearing on Monday, June 15, he said the given cause of death may make answering this “not that straightforward”.Mr Milburn asked for a cardiologist with expertise in sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) to give evidence at the full inquest to “tell us whether this was something that should or could have been prevented”. He said the inquest will look into Matthew’s admission to the hospital in August as well as his time inside HMP Peterborough.Dr Paramjit Samrai, representing North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said the post-mortem had not revealed “any abnormalities whatsoever”.He said: “I think the problem with this particular case is the pathologist struggled to come up with a cause of death as sudden arrhythmia is based on exclusion. Something caused the cardiac arrest on that date and he needs to look at the circumstances that have caused that.”He said that “getting the right specialists will be really important”. He suggested an intensivist or general physician rather than a cardiologist, adding: “I don’t think it’s been caused by a cardiac problem from what I’ve seen.”Dr Samrai said that Matthew had been “vomiting” and “not eating” before his death and said: “We’ve got a young man here who should be fit and well, but something has happened. It really does need someone who understands all the systems of the body.”A date for the inquest has not yet been confirmed.