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               14 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       6,639,996     4.45%         173,680     0.12%
securities
(2) Derivatives      578,815     0.39%         112,811     0.08%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,218,811     4.84%         286,491     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      1,119                9.7650
Purchase      1,896                9.8818
Purchase      1,119                9.7650
Purchase      1,165                9.8228
Purchase      55,794               9.8220
Purchase      7,726                9.8272
Purchase      7,236                9.8321
Purchase      11,591               9.8510
Purchase      3,713                9.8957
Purchase      33,650               9.8192
Purchase      75,322               9.8293
Purchase      55,794               9.8220
Purchase      1,119                9.7662
Purchase      642                  9.9059
Purchase      1,896                9.8818
Purchase      1,006                9.8350
Purchase      553                  9.8519
Purchase      3,058                9.8147
Purchase      30,000               9.8537
Purchase      642                  9.8050
Purchase      11,320               9.8350
Purchase      13,223               9.8218
Sale          3,713                9.8957
Sale          11,591               9.8510
Sale          1,896                9.8818
Sale          7,726                9.8272
Sale          7,236                9.8321
Sale          3,058                9.8147
Sale          642                  9.8041
Sale          75,322               9.8293
Sale          1,005                9.8350
Sale          553                  9.8500
Sale          11,591               9.8510
Sale          13,223               9.8209
Sale          1,119                9.7650
Sale          55,794               9.8220
Sale          33,650               9.8192
Sale          642                  9.9050
Sale          3,058                9.8147
Sale          1,119                9.7650

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1119          9.7662
CFD            Short         5832          9.8148
CFD            Short         33650         9.8192
CFD            Short         13223         9.8218
CFD            Short         7726          9.8271
CFD            Short         553           9.8518
CFD            Short         1896          9.8817
CFD            Short         642           9.9058
CFD            Long          642           9.8041
CFD            Long          3058          9.8147
CFD            Long          7236          9.8321
CFD            Long          3713          9.8956

(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                         15 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