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                            27 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      6,563,484        4.40%        157,600         0.11%

(2) Derivatives (other         594,119        0.40%        107,454         0.07%
than options)

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

Total                        7,157,603        4.80%         265,054        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         15            9.6300
Purchase         10,843        9.6638
Purchase         10,843        9.6638
Purchase         22            9.6259
Purchase         15            9.6300
Purchase         24,222        9.6578
Purchase         400           9.6116
Purchase         13,364        9.6530
Purchase         1,100         9.5991
Purchase         462           9.6255
Purchase         9,259         9.6736
Purchase         1,300         9.6265
Purchase         2             9.6450
Purchase         400           9.6116
Purchase         22,920        9.6596
Sale             462           9.6237
Sale             1,100         9.5991
Sale             15            9.6300
Sale             24,222        9.6578
Sale             400           9.6116
Sale             10,843        9.6638
Sale             24,222        9.6578
Sale             13,364        9.6530
Sale             22            9.6250
Sale             1,300         9.6265
Sale             2             9.6450
Sale             1,000         9.5500
Sale             22,920        9.6586
Sale             1,150         9.6400
Sale             9,259         9.6736

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name     Long/Short      Number Of Securities     Price Per Unit
CFD              Short           1100                     9.599
CFD              Short           400                      9.6116
CFD              Short           462                      9.6254
CFD              Short           22                       9.6259
CFD              Short           9259                     9.6735
CFD              Long            1300                     9.6265
CFD              Long            2                        9.645
CFD              Long            22920                    9.6586

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                                         28 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)