Holding in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
4 May 2001


                  DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

     ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

     BARCLAYS PLC

3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of 
     holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a 
     non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
     holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

     FUND MANAGER

4)   Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the 
     number of shares held by each of them.

     SEE BELOW

5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

     1,054,159

6)   (0.326%) of issued Class

7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

     -

8)   ( - %) of issued Class

9)   Class of security

     10P ORDINARY SHARES

10)  Date of transaction

     NOT ADVISED

11)  Date company informed

     04/05/01

12)  Total holding following this notification

     10,892,383
                            
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

     3.366%

14)  Any additional information

     -

15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

     R.E. CLARK      01372 362300

16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification ......04/05/2001..................


Barclays Bank PLC - Registered Holders Analysis

As at 01.05.2001 Barclays PLC, through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC, had a 
notifiable interest in 10,892,383 ORD GBP0.10 units representing 3.36% of the
issued share capital of 323611327 units.

Registered Holder                                                  Holding

Chase Nominees Limited                             16331           249,510
Chase Nominees Limited                             16341           643,476
Chase Nominees Limited                             16344           137,098
Chase Nominees Limited                             16345           229,041
Chase Nominees Limited                             16376            49,310
Chase Nominees Limited                             16400         3,122,936
Chase Nominees Limited                             16530           721,729
Chase Nominees Limited                             18409            71,077
Chase Nominees Limited                             20947         4,296,285
Twenty Nine Gracechurch Street Nominees Limited                  1,014,030
a/c 5781C
Chase Manhattan Bank                                                37,455
Chase Nominees Ltd A/C Lend 16201                                   37,945
Chase Nominees Ltd A/C BGICMNI 19688                               166,396
Unknown                                                            116,095
                                                                ----------
                                                   Total        10,892,383
                                                                ==========