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               11 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       6,553,350     4.40%         188,259     0.13%
securities
(2) Derivatives      599,226     0.40%          83,230     0.06%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,152,576     4.80%        271,489      0.18%


(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      7,492                9.5840
Purchase      61,652               9.6272
Purchase      9,056                9.9500
Purchase      1,537                9.8634
Purchase      2,361                9.8253
Purchase      3,523                9.7189
Purchase      2,300                9.6700
Purchase      834                  9.6475
Purchase      4,402                9.6880
Purchase      58,071               9.6042
Purchase      7,492                9.5852
Purchase      3,000                9.5768
Purchase      3,121                9.7946
Purchase      2,477                9.7316
Purchase      834                  9.6475
Purchase      6,442                9.6539
Purchase      459                  9.6000
Purchase      4,851                9.7831
Purchase      11,073               9.7188
Purchase      3,270                9.8180
Purchase      2,683                9.5663
Purchase      1,218                9.7244
Purchase      7,492                9.5840
Purchase      6,442                9.6539
Purchase      41,537               9.5833
Purchase      61,652               9.6272
Sale          58,071               9.6042
Sale          2,477                9.7316
Sale          2,477                9.7316
Sale          7,492                9.5840
Sale          1,537                9.8634
Sale          61,652               9.6272
Sale          3,270                9.8171
Sale          1,537                9.8634
Sale          2,300                9.6700
Sale          7,492                9.5840
Sale          2,361                9.8253
Sale          6,442                9.6539
Sale          3,000                9.5750
Sale          834                  9.6475
Sale          540                  9.9500
Sale          4,851                9.7823
Sale          1,218                9.7244
Sale          459                  9.5990
Sale          3,121                9.7946
Sale          4,402                9.6871
Sale          11,073               9.7188
Sale          2,683                9.5645
Sale          41,537               9.5833
Sale          11,073               9.7188
Sale          3,523                9.7189

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3000          9.5768
CFD            Short         41537         9.5833
CFD            Short         7492          9.5851
CFD            Short         834           9.6475
CFD            Short         6442          9.6538
CFD            Short         4402          9.688
CFD            Short         3523          9.7189
CFD            Short         1218          9.7244
CFD            Short         3986          9.7316
CFD            Short         4851          9.7831
CFD            Short         3121          9.7945
CFD            Long          2683          9.5644
CFD            Long          459           9.599
CFD            Long          2300          9.67
CFD            Long          2477          9.7315
CFD            Long          3270          9.8171
CFD            Long          2361          9.8252
CFD            Long          1537          9.8634

(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                         14 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