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               08 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       6,503,726      4.36%       208,572      0.14%
securities
(2) Derivatives      639,746      0.43%        77,472      0.05%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0      0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,143,472      4.79%        286,044     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      66                   9.7700
Purchase      600                  9.7500
Purchase      738                  9.7674
Purchase      3,517                9.7274
Purchase      1,159                9.7400
Purchase      6,039                9.7704
Purchase      713                  9.7400
Purchase      1,370                9.7754
Purchase      70                   9.6550
Purchase      108                  9.7400
Purchase      657                  9.8159
Purchase      3,457                9.7734
Purchase      6,399                9.7400
Purchase      1,400                9.7700
Purchase      324                  9.7400
Purchase      1,080                9.7400
Purchase      1,400                9.8200
Purchase      62                   9.7218
Purchase      3,795                9.7400
Purchase      7,565                9.7582
Purchase      1,370                9.7400
Sale          62                   9.7200
Sale          1,400                9.7700
Sale          738                  9.7664
Sale          11,022               9.7630
Sale          166                  9.7534
Sale          6,039                9.7704
Sale          1,370                9.7400
Sale          657                  9.8150
Sale          6,399                9.7400
Sale          7,565                9.7582
Sale          66                   9.7682
Sale          3,175                9.7550
Sale          1,400                9.8200
Sale          600                  9.7500
Sale          3,517                9.7264

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         62            9.7217
CFD            Short         7624          9.7431
CFD            Short         600           9.75
CFD            Short         738           9.7674
CFD            Short         1400          9.77
CFD            Short         657           9.8158
CFD            Long          3517          9.7264
CFD            Long          166           9.7533
CFD            Long          66            9.7681
CFD            Long          6039          9.7703
CFD            Long          1400          9.82

(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                         09 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