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                            05 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      6,936,703        4.66%          5,710          0.00%

(2) Derivatives (other       2,440,469        1.64%      1,747,586          1.17%
than options)

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

Total                        9,377,172        6.30%       1,753,296         1.18%

(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         12,104        8.7524
Purchase         2,927         8.6356
Purchase         958           8.7181
Purchase         671           8.7408
Purchase         17,000        8.7929
Purchase         17,000        8.7900
Purchase         7,672         8.7515
Purchase         1,234         8.6366
Purchase         1,750         8.9414
Purchase         4,929         8.7929
Purchase         15,888        8.7182
Purchase         2,277         8.7500
Sale             1,021         8.6642
Sale             1,750         8.9414
Sale             11,019        8.8644
Sale             1,400         8.8713
Sale             1,451         8.9027
Sale             49            8.7216
Sale             1,750         8.9414

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           2927                     8.6355
CFD              Short           1234                     8.6366
CFD              Short           958                      8.7181
CFD              Short           15888                    8.7182
CFD              Short           671                      8.7407
CFD              Short           7672                     8.7515
CFD              Short           12104                    8.7523
CFD              Short           4929                     8.7929
CFD              Long            1021                     8.6642
CFD              Long            49                       8.7216
CFD              Long            11019                    8.8643
CFD              Long            1400                     8.8713
CFD              Long            1451                     8.9027
CFD              Long            1750                     8.9414

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                                         06 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)