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               07 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       6,506,013      4.37%       200,841      0.13%
securities
(2) Derivatives      639,639      0.43%        77,472      0.05%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0      0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,145,652      4.79%        278,313     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      1,070                9.5940
Purchase      324                  9.6550
Purchase      134                  9.7400
Purchase      1,500                9.5900
Purchase      6,593                Transfer
Purchase      12,867               9.6053
Purchase      48,523               9.5984
Purchase      14,904               9.5758
Purchase      1,968                9.5925
Purchase      11,574               9.6002
Purchase      2,624                9.5975
Purchase      8,600                9.6196
Purchase      880                  9.5884
Purchase      11,574               9.6002
Purchase      7,894                9.6062
Purchase      36,949               9.5978
Purchase      713                  9.6550
Purchase      9,606                9.6019
Sale          525                  9.5738
Sale          1,500                9.5900
Sale          8,600                9.6196
Sale          12,867               9.6053
Sale          9,606                9.6019
Sale          880                  9.5884
Sale          36,949               9.5978
Sale          880                  9.5884
Sale          134                  9.7381
Sale          1,968                9.5917
Sale          48,523               9.5984
Sale          7,894                9.6062
Sale          48,523               9.5984
Sale          1,070                9.5940
Sale          2,624                9.5966
Sale          14,904               9.5748
Sale          11,574               9.6002
Sale          1,070                9.5940

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         10091         9.5744
CFD            Short         1968          9.5925
CFD            Short         9606          9.6019
CFD            Long          14904         9.5748
CFD            Long          880           9.5883
CFD            Long          1500          9.59
CFD            Long          1070          9.594
CFD            Long          2624          9.5966
CFD            Long          12867         9.6053
CFD            Long          7894          9.6061
CFD            Long          8600          9.6195
CFD            Long          134           9.7381

(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                         08 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