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                            17 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      6,758,898        4.54%         55,760         0.04%

(2) Derivatives (other         503,299        0.34%        230,755         0.15%
than options)

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

Total                        7,262,197        4.87%        286,515         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         4,554         9.2650
Purchase         2,788         9.2016
Purchase         1,396         9.3409
Purchase         424           9.1850
Purchase         643           9.2448
Purchase         652           9.3450
Purchase         2,065         9.2745
Purchase         424           9.1850
Purchase         38,133        9.2164
Purchase         14,024        9.3496
Purchase         556           9.1535
Purchase         1,459         9.2156
Purchase         18,193        9.2577
Purchase         5,367         9.2442
Purchase         18,193        9.2577
Purchase         54,833        9.2523
Purchase         4,554         9.2650
Purchase         5,367         9.2442
Purchase         121,556       9.5050
Purchase         55,597        9.2507
Purchase         1,869         9.1959
Sale             652           9.3442
Sale             556           9.1535
Sale             55,597        9.2507
Sale             14,024        9.3496
Sale             54,833        9.2523
Sale             4,179         9.2697
Sale             1,396         9.3400
Sale             38,133        9.2154
Sale             424           9.1850
Sale             18,193        9.2577
Sale             1,869         9.1959
Sale             424           9.1838
Sale             55,597        9.2507
Sale             55,800        9.2716
Sale             758           9.2650
Sale             643           9.2430
Sale             2,788         9.1999
Sale             556           9.1535
Sale             424           9.1850
Sale             2,06          9.2745
Sale             1,459         9.2148
Sale             5,367         9.2442


(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           2645                     9.1555
CFD              Short           1869                     9.1958
CFD              Short           1459                     9.2156
CFD              Short           643                      9.2447
CFD              Short           18193                    9.2577
CFD              Short           1396                     9.3409
CFD              Long            556                      9.1535
CFD              Long            424                      9.1838
CFD              Long            2788                     9.1998
CFD              Long            38133                    9.2154
CFD              Long            652                      9.3441
CFD              Long            14024                    9.3495


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                                         18 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)