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                            21 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      6,572,524        4.41%        135,140         0.09%

(2) Derivatives (other         571,659        0.38%         96,558         0.06%
than options)

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

Total                        7,144,183        4.79%        231,698         0.16%


(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         1,755         9.6532
Purchase         4,554         9.5850
Purchase         10,765        9.5850
Purchase         3,036         9.4550
Purchase         1,000         9.5600
Purchase         1,600         9.5994
Purchase         1,000         9.5600
Purchase         2,733         9.5500
Purchase         1,000         9.5612
Purchase         2             9.5200
Purchase         2,550         9.6225
Purchase         1,343         9.5745
Purchase         37,552        9.6289
Purchase         1,330         9.6150
Purchase         3,036         9.5850
Purchase         7,778         9.5791
Purchase         1,862         9.5997
Purchase         15,715        9.6037
Purchase         7,778         9.5791
Purchase         46,330        9.6191
Purchase         1,302         9.6150
Purchase         2,100         9.6068
Purchase         23,571        9.6309
Purchase         3,652         9.5850
Sale             2,100         9.6050
Sale             37,552        9.6289
Sale             23,571        9.6309
Sale             46            9.5850
Sale             1,343         9.5736
Sale             1,330         9.6141
Sale             7,778         9.5791
Sale             1,862         9.5978
Sale             209           9.5850
Sale             106           9.5850
Sale             1,000         9.5600
Sale             1,788         9.5850
Sale             46,330        9.6191
Sale             1,000         9.5600
Sale             1,755         9.6532
Sale             4,161         9.5850
Sale             2,550         9.6225
Sale             1,600         9.5994
Sale             1,755         9.6532
Sale             2             9.5200
Sale             15,715        9.6028
Sale             2,733         9.5500
Sale             46,330        9.6191
Sale             1,302         9.6150


(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           2                        9.52
CFD              Short           2733                     9.55
CFD              Short           1000                     9.5612
CFD              Short           1343                     9.5745
CFD              Short           6644                     9.5929
CFD              Short           1600                     9.5993
CFD              Short           2100                     9.6068
CFD              Long            1862                     9.5978
CFD              Long            15715                    9.6027
CFD              Long            1330                     9.6141
CFD              Long            1302                     9.615
CFD              Long            2550                     9.6225
CFD              Long            23571                    9.6309
CFD              Long            1755                     9.6532


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                                         24 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)