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                          NEW ENGLAND BANCSHARES, INC.
                               855 Enfield Street
                                Enfield, CT 06082

For Immediate Release

CONTACT:  Scott D. Nogles, Chief Financial Officer
          (860) 253-5200

     New England Bancshares, Inc. Declines Participation in Federal Capital
                                Purchase Program

     ENFIELD,  CT,  November  19,  2008  - New  England  Bancshares,  Inc.  (the
"Company")  (NASDAQ GM: NEBS),  the holding  company for Enfield Federal Savings
and Loan  Association  and Valley Bank,  announced today that it has not made an
application to participate in the U.S. Department of Treasury's Capital Purchase
Program ("CPP"), which is part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

     David  O'Connor,  President  and CEO of New England  Bancshares  explained,
"Both of the Company's  banking  subsidiaries,  Enfield Federal Savings Bank and
Valley Bank, are well  capitalized and are not in need  additional  capital from
the U.S. government.  Additionally, Enfield Federal Savings Bank and Valley Bank
continue to remain  active  lenders by  providing  financing to  businesses  and
consumers in the markets they serve."

     The  determination  was based  primarily  on the  current  strength  of the
subsidiaries'  capital  positions.  As of September  30, 2008,  Enfield  Federal
Savings Bank and Valley Bank were "well  capitalized"  pursuant to existing bank
regulatory  requirements  having  Tier 1  leverage  capital  ratios of 7.90% and
9.51%, respectively,  and Tier 1 risk-based capital ratios of 12.11% and 12.46%,
respectively.

     Statements contained in this news release,  which are not historical facts,
are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities
Litigation  reform Act of 1995. Such  forward-looking  statements are subject to
risks and  uncertainties,  which could cause actual results to differ materially
from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors,  which include, but
are not limited to, factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Subject to applicable laws
and regulation,  the Company does not undertake - and specifically disclaims any
obligation - to publicly  release the results of any revisions which may be made
to any  forward-looking  statements to reflect events or circumstances after the
date  of  such  statements  or to  reflect  the  occurrence  of  anticipated  or
unanticipated events.

     New England Bancshares, Inc. is headquartered in Enfield,  Connecticut, and
operates Enfield Federal Savings and Loan Association with eight banking centers
servicing  the  communities  of Enfield,  Manchester,  Suffield,  East  Windsor,
Ellington  and Windsor Locks and Valley Bank with four banking  centers  serving
the communities of Bristol,  Terryville and  Southington.  For more  information
regarding Enfield Federal Savings and Loan Association's  products and services,
please visit  www.enfieldfederal.com  and for more information  regarding Valley
Bank's products and services, please visit www.valleybankct.com.

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