Established in the year 1541 the K-O-B as it is now called by it's loyal locals is situated only a stones throw away from the banks of the river Gt. Ouse so is very popular with both local residents and holiday makers alike. The bar is said to be haunted by the friendly ghost of a headless woman who has been seen on many occasions by several people. The pub is said to have been the ''Preferred ale house'' of Oliver Cromwell who was born and lived in Huntingdon. The public bar is original with solid oak beams and a copper topped bar, the public bar ceiling and back of the door are covered in aviation stickers, a legacy from the 70s & 80s when the American airbase USAF Alconbury was just up the road, the base is used mainly as offices now although the runway is still intact, in good working order and is one of the longest runways in Great Britain. Over the years the pub has been a firm favorite with visitors from all four corners of the world, many of whom make a special journey to Huntingdon just to re-visit the pub whilst in the UK and will of course always receive the warmest of welcomes.
Over the years the pub has seen many
owners including businesses, banks,
breweries etc. has had many landlords
including Harry Carr - Richard & Masha
Pomfrey - Bernie & Jim Taylor - Hillary &
Jamie Kincaid - Ron & Mary Biddle -
Pearl Chapman & Eddie Ford - Ron & Sylvia Dixon - Gwyneth Davies & Jamie McAulay to name but a few, however as of 2008 the
K-O-B was owned and operated by
Peter & Peggy Reynolds & their live in
managers Di & Nathan. The pub has also
seen it's fair share of both bad and sad
times including near bankruptcy by one
of it's owners, a major kitchen fire resulting in the pub being closed for many weeks for refurbishment, the pub also faced almost certain closure when a recent owner, an unscrupulous
property development company applied for planning permission to de-licence the premises
and turn it into a private dwelling with the ultimate intention of knocking down the pub and
building a small block of flats in it's place. This move was vigorously defended by the landlords at the time, Jamie McAulay and Gwyneth Davies along with lots of loyal customers of the pub
including Peter Jeffries, Mick Rowlands and many more who attended several district & town
council meetings in the dead of winter to support keeping the pub, so overwhelming was the
protest that the planning committee had no choice but to throw out the application and return
the pub to the village, The company realising they had come to the end of the road as far as
development was concerned then sold the premises to businessman Peter Reynolds.
As of early 2010 the lease & licence for the King of the Belgians was acquired by the then live in managers "Diana and Nathan" who then ran the establishment as their own leasehold business until May 2012.
In mid June 2012 the King of the Belgians was purchased outright by Jim and Bernie Taylor and their
daughter Jane Spicer, Jim and Bernie had already successfully run the pub as managers in the 1980s.
