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        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              CLOSE BROS GROUP
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.25
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               04 January 2008

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       6,537,807      4.39%       182,330      0.12%
securities
(2) Derivatives      631,219      0.42%        97,860      0.07%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0      0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,169,026      4.81%       280,190      0.19%


(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
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 Securities Price per unit
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      23,009               9.5465
Purchase      1,518                9.6500
Purchase      556                  9.6540
Purchase      1,962                9.5468
Purchase      18,844               9.5333
Purchase      439                  9.4555
Purchase      1,900                9.5347
Purchase      766                  9.6000
Purchase      4,793                9.5558
Purchase      1,869                9.5605
Purchase      29,851               9.5467
Purchase      3,620                9.5274
Purchase      6,842                9.5472
Purchase      2,170                9.4810
Purchase      3,813                9.6117
Purchase      6,842                9.5472
Sale          29,851               9.5467
Sale          1,869                9.5605
Sale          439                  9.4537
Sale          2,170                9.4810
Sale          3,813                9.6108
Sale          29,851               9.5467
Sale          23,009               9.5465
Sale          766                  9.6000
Sale          1,869                9.5605
Sale          556                  9.6521
Sale          3,620                9.5265
Sale          1,900                9.5347
Sale          2,170                9.4810
Sale          6,842                9.5472
Sale          18,844               9.5333
Sale          4,793                9.5549
Sale          1,962                9.5468

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         4491          9.4811
CFD            Short         3620          9.5273
CFD            Short         1900          9.5347
CFD            Short         766           9.6
CFD            Short         556           9.6539
CFD            Long          439           9.4536
CFD            Long          2170          9.481
CFD            Long          18844         9.5333
CFD            Long          1962          9.5467
CFD            Long          4793          9.5548
CFD            Long          1869          9.5604
CFD            Long          3813          9.6108

(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 (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)


(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)




(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

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                         07 January 2008
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
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)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk