Cancellation of dividend

Armitage Bros PLC
20 March 2003

                            P R E S S  R E L E A S E


                                                                   20 March 2003

                             Armitage Brothers plc

                       Cancellation of  interim dividend


In the light of the offer from Focus 100 Limited for the entire issued share
capital of Armitage Brothers plc ('Armitage' or 'the Company') announced this
morning, the Board of Armitage has agreed to cancel the payment of the interim
dividend of 3.4p per share which was announced with the Interim Results of the
Company on 28 February 2003 and was due to be paid to shareholders on 23 April
2003. The offer from Focus 100 at £2.00 per share was conditional on no interim
dividend being paid.


Enquiries to:

Armitage Brothers plc:
R C Taylor, Chief Executive                  0115 938 1281

KPMG Corporate Finance:
Steve Halbert                                0121 232 3000
Maura Dunne


The directors of Armitage Brothers plc accept responsibility for the information
contained in this announcement and to the best of the knowledge and belief of
such directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure such is the case),
the information contained in this announcement, for which they accept
responsibility, is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything
likely to affect the import of such information.

This announcement has been issued on behalf of the board of Armitage Brothers
plc by KPMG Corporate Finance.

KPMG Corporate Finance, a division of KPMG LLP which is authorised by the
Financial Services Authority for investment business activities, is acting for
Armitage Brothers plc and no-one else in connection with this matter and will
not be responsible to anyone other than Armitage Brothers plc for providing the
protections afforded to clients of KPMG Corporate Finance, nor  for providing
advice in relation to this matter.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange