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        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              CLOSE BROS GROUP
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.25
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               28 February 2008

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       6,389,823     4.28%          9,691      0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives      286,362     0.19%        300,574      0.20%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,676,185     4.48%        310,265      0.21%


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

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
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 Securities Price per unit
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      7,363                7.5476
Purchase      37,350               7.5590
Purchase      1,981                7.5377
Purchase      41,500               7.5728
Purchase      2,178                7.5700
Purchase      713                  7.5000
Sale          411                  7.5150
Sale          63,863               7.5570
Sale          2,002                7.5453
Sale          1,055                7.5570
Sale          240                  7.5600
Sale          2,821                7.5570
Sale          4,436                7.5570
Sale          3,497                7.5570
Sale          178                  7.5564
Sale          5,300                7.5000
Sale          25,351               7.5570
Sale          497                  7.5842
Sale          1,292                7.5000
Sale          3,795                7.5000
Sale          4,477                7.5570
Sale          10,395               7.6048
Sale          17,319               7.5513
Sale          9,264                7.5515


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1981          7.5376
CFD            Short         7363          7.5476
CFD            Short         20482         7.5516
CFD            Short         37350         7.559
CFD            Short         2178          7.57
CFD            Short         41500         7.5727
CFD            Long          411           7.515
CFD            Long          2002          7.5452
CFD            Long          17319         7.5512
CFD            Long          9264          7.5515
CFD            Long          31639         7.5564
CFD            Long          497           7.5842
CFD            Long          10395         7.6047


(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 (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)


(ii) Exercising

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




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


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




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

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                         29 February 2008
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
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)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk