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                            14 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      6,721,988        4.51%         33,340         0.02%

(2) Derivatives (other         485,638        0.33%        243,466         0.16%
than options)

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

Total                        7,207,626        4.84%        276,806         0.19%


(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         21,847        8.6550
Purchase         45,324        9.2140
Purchase         2,604         9.0136
Purchase         231           9.5050
Purchase         7,590         9.5050
Purchase         1,537         8.7555
Purchase         9,677         9.1943
Purchase         324           9.5050
Purchase         3             8.7000
Purchase         12,437        9.0616
Purchase         2,277         9.5050
Purchase         412           8.7300
Purchase         231           9.5050
Purchase         18,193        9.5050
Purchase         7,717         9.2386
Purchase         34,123        9.0692
Purchase         2,688         8.7267
Purchase         6,374         8.7000
Purchase         6,457         9.3608
Purchase         300           8.7564
Purchase         34,123        9.0692
Purchase         600           8.7000
Purchase         9,677         9.1943
Purchase         11,749        9.1380
Purchase         300           8.7564
Purchase         11,749        9.1380
Purchase         67,879        9.1505
Purchase         2,092         9.5050
Sale             11,749        9.1380
Sale             300           8.7564
Sale             1,034         9.5050
Sale             18,193        9.5033
Sale             34,123        9.0692
Sale             12,437        9.0607
Sale             2,756         9.5050
Sale             2,092         9.5050
Sale             2,688         8.7251
Sale             67,879        9.1505
Sale             6,457         9.3600
Sale             412           8.7300
Sale             3             8.6967
Sale             2,604         9.0136
Sale             34,123        9.0681
Sale             45,324        9.2140
Sale             600           8.7000
Sale             6,374         8.7000
Sale             550           8.7000
Sale             412           8.7300
Sale             9,677         9.1943
Sale             34,123        9.0692
Sale             45,324        9.2140
Sale             231           9.5050
Sale             7,717         9.2377


(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           21847                    8.655
CFD              Short           2688                     8.7267
CFD              Short           1330                     8.7399
CFD              Short           300                      8.7564
CFD              Short           2604                     9.0136
CFD              Short           9677                     9.1942
CFD              Short           6457                     9.3608
CFD              Long            3                        8.6966
CFD              Long            6974                     8.7
CFD              Long            12437                    9.0607
CFD              Long            34123                    9.0681
CFD              Long            7717                     9.2377
CFD              Long            18193                    9.5033


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                                         17 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)