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                            06 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      6,932,766        4.66%          5,757          0.00%

(2) Derivatives (other       2,479,716         1.67%     1,791,093          1.20%
than options)

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

Total                        9,412,482        6.32%       1,796,850         1.21%

(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         600           8.7300
Purchase         4,010         8.7517
Purchase         13,162        8.7470
Purchase         5,683         8.7416
Purchase         458           8.7686
Purchase         7,672         8.7508
Purchase         18,475        8.7303
Sale             7,672         8.7508
Sale             1,200         8.7200
Sale             5,455         8.7901
Sale             5,506         8.7747
Sale             807           8.7659
Sale             7,010         8.7603
Sale             7,672         8.7508
Sale             458           8.7686
Sale             458           8.7686
Sale             5,813         8.7500
Sale             11,946        8.7823

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           1577                     8.6857
CFD              Short           600                      8.73
CFD              Short           18475                    8.7302
CFD              Short           5683                     8.7416
CFD              Short           13162                    8.7469
CFD              Short           4010                     8.7517
CFD              Long            1200                     8.72
CFD              Long            7672                     8.7508
CFD              Long            7010                     8.7603
CFD              Long            458                      8.7686
CFD              Long            5506                     8.7747
CFD              Long            11946                    8.7823
CFD              Long            5455                     8.7901

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                                         07 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)