Rule 8.3 - CLOSE BROS GROUP

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing  (Note 1)           BARCLAYS PLC
Company dealt in                           CLOSE BROS GROUP
Class of relevant security to which the    ORD GBP0.25
dealings being disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing                            03 December 2007



2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)  Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                                         Long                       Short

                                Number          (%)         Number           (%)

(1) Relevant securities      6,846,839        4.60%         29,020          0.02%

(2) Derivatives (other       2,406,985        1.62%      1,666,519          1.12%
than options)

(3) Options and agreements           0        0.00%              0          0.00%
to purchase/sell

Total                        9,253,824        6.22%       1,695,539         1.14%


(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of relevant                           Long                                   Short
security:

                              Number                   (%)            Number                   (%)

(1) Relevant securities

(2)   Derivatives (other
than options)

(3) Options and agreements
to purchase/sell

Total


(c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:                Details





3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

(a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale    Number of     Price per unit (Note 5)
                 securities
Purchase         6,737         8.8675
Purchase         2,228         8.9150
Purchase         400           8.8715
Purchase         35,158        8.9424
Purchase         9,283         8.9882
Purchase         323           8.9159
Purchase         788           9.0100
Purchase         400           8.8715
Purchase         2,911         9.0100
Purchase         9,299         8.9044
Purchase         19,254        8.9249
Purchase         1,726         8.9432
Sale             515           9.0118
Sale             32,678        9.0118
Sale             2,232         9.0118
Sale             19,254        8.9249
Sale             1,893         8.8432
Sale             9,514         9.0089
Sale             2,911         9.0100
Sale             3,565         9.0118
Sale             6,257         8.9324
Sale             692           8.9150
Sale             2,084         8.9050
Sale             788           9.0100
Sale             400           8.8715
Sale             9,001         9.0118
Sale             1,488         9.0118
Sale             54            9.0118
Sale             1,621         8.9663
Sale             2,160         8.9150
Sale             6,138         8.9623
Sale             630           9.0111
Sale             1,781         9.0118
Sale             19,254        8.9249
Sale             5,782         8.9652
Sale             2,311         9.0118

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           6737                     8.8675
CFD              Short           400                      8.8715
CFD              Short           9299                     8.9043
CFD              Short           35158                    8.9424
CFD              Short           1726                     8.9431
CFD              Long            1893                     8.8432
CFD              Long            2084                     8.905
CFD              Long            19254                    8.9248
CFD              Long            6257                     8.9323
CFD              Long            6138                     8.9622
CFD              Long            5782                     8.9652
CFD              Long            1621                     8.9663



C) Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name,   Writing,          Number of          Exercise  Type, e.g.      Expiry   Option money
e.g. call       selling,          securities to      price     American,       date     paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option             European etc.            per unit
                varying etc.      relates (Note 7)                                      (Note 5)



(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g. call option     Number of securities             Exercise price per unit (Note 5)






(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction (Note 8)          Details                        Price per unit (if applicable)
                                                                       (Note 5)





4.   OTHER INFORMATION

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the person disclosing and any other
person relating to the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form
or relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which
any derivative referred to on this form is referenced.  If none, this should be stated.



Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                NO


Date of disclosure                                         04 December 2007
Contact name                                               BARCLAYS COMPLIANCE
Telephone number                                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of offeree/offeror with which
connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of connection (Note 10)