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                            18 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      6,682,053       4.48%          84,061         0.06%

(2) Derivatives (other         529,505       0.36%         182,664         0.12%
than options)

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

Total                        7,211,558        4.84%        266,725         0.18%


(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         9,187         9.2956
Purchase         30,065        9.3117
Purchase         46,956        9.3065
Purchase         74,361        9.3105
Purchase         5,714         9.3021
Purchase         668           9.3308
Purchase         9,855         9.2962
Purchase         4,179         9.2697
Sale             54            9.3735
Sale             16            9.3500
Sale             1,481         9.3496
Sale             82,735        9.3081
Sale             668           9.3300
Sale             2,164         9.2421
Sale             74,361        9.3105
Sale             5,714         9.3003
Sale             250           9.3450
Sale             9,187         9.2938
Sale             4,179         9.2697
Sale             46,956        9.3065
Sale             30,065        9.3108

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           2282                     9.1954
CFD              Short           9187                     9.2955
CFD              Short           668                      9.3308
CFD              Long            2164                     9.242
CFD              Long            5714                     9.3003
CFD              Long            46956                    9.3065
CFD              Long            30065                    9.3107
CFD              Long            1481                     9.3484
CFD              Long            54                       9.3735

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                                         19 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)