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               09 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       6,499,505      4.36%       223,267      0.15%
securities
(2) Derivatives      647,245      0.43%        72,422      0.05%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0      0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,146,750      4.79%       295,689      0.20%


(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      41,930               9.7914
Purchase      1,597                9.8014
Purchase      1,836                9.8654
Purchase      134                  9.8069
Purchase      14,695               9.7512
Purchase      1,950                9.7675
Purchase      1,370                9.7400
Purchase      10,147               9.7757
Purchase      11,468               9.7486
Purchase      1,000                9.7850
Purchase      324                  9.7400
Purchase      713                  9.7400
Purchase      6,593                9.4950
Purchase      70                   9.6550
Purchase      11,140               9.8590
Purchase      28,235               9.8121
Purchase      3,795                9.7400
Purchase      108                  9.7400
Purchase      1,431                9.7150
Purchase      519                  9.7945
Purchase      5,050                9.7696
Purchase      1,000                9.7850
Purchase      1,159                9.7400
Purchase      713                  9.6550
Purchase      3,156                9.8443
Purchase      1,080                9.7400
Purchase      324                  9.6550
Purchase      4,414                9.7772
Purchase      13,414               9.8317
Purchase      28,235               9.8121
Purchase      734                  9.8050
Purchase      8,225                9.7713
Sale          4,414                9.7762
Sale          355                  9.7401
Sale          1,597                9.7995
Sale          11,468               9.7486
Sale          134                  9.8051
Sale          41,930               9.7914
Sale          1,000                9.7850
Sale          13,414               9.8317
Sale          5,050                9.7696
Sale          5,050                9.7696
Sale          519                  9.7926
Sale          1,431                9.7150
Sale          1,000                9.7838
Sale          11,140               9.8590
Sale          10,147               9.7757
Sale          1,950                9.7667
Sale          41,930               9.7914
Sale          1,000                9.7850
Sale          3,156                9.8434
Sale          28,235               9.8121
Sale          370                  9.8350
Sale          734                  9.8050
Sale          8,225                9.7713
Sale          14,695               9.7512
Sale          1,836                9.8644

(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         1431          9.715
CFD            Short         7624          9.7431
CFD            Short         1950          9.7675
CFD            Short         7196          9.7697
CFD            Short         10147         9.7756
CFD            Short         1597          9.8013
CFD            Short         134           9.8069
CFD            Short         11140         9.8589
CFD            Short         1836          9.8653
CFD            Long          11468         9.7486
CFD            Long          5050          9.7696
CFD            Long          8225          9.7712
CFD            Long          4414          9.7761
CFD            Long          1000          9.7837
CFD            Long          519           9.7926
CFD            Long          734           9.805
CFD            Long          13414         9.8316
CFD            Long          3156          9.8433

(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                         10 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