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               16 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       6,716,902     4.50%         134,521     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives      525,040     0.35%         144,891     0.10%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,241,942     4.86%         279,412     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      3,688                9.4394
Purchase      5,352                9.3833
Purchase      2,674                9.4642
Purchase      12,263               9.4549
Purchase      2,674                9.4642
Purchase      3,201                9.4557
Purchase      47,608               9.4366
Purchase      19,045               9.4395
Purchase      4,014                9.4292
Purchase      15,644               9.4449
Purchase      3,454                9.4522
Purchase      47,608               9.4366
Purchase      230                  9.4784
Purchase      69                   9.4550
Purchase      5,148                9.4062
Purchase      324                  9.4550
Purchase      7,628                9.4387
Purchase      9,201                9.4503
Purchase      28,563               9.4347
Purchase      514                  9.4300
Purchase      6,792                9.4550
Sale          230                  9.4784
Sale          12,263               9.4549
Sale          19,045               9.4395
Sale          28,563               9.4347
Sale          9,201                9.4485
Sale          3,688                9.4394
Sale          15,644               9.4439
Sale          19,045               9.4395
Sale          2,674                9.4642
Sale          230                  9.4784
Sale          5,352                9.3825
Sale          3,454                9.4522
Sale          4,014                9.4283
Sale          47,608               9.4366
Sale          3,454                9.4522
Sale          5,148                9.4062
Sale          514                  9.4300
Sale          3,201                9.4539
Sale          7,628                9.4387

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         5352          9.3833
CFD            Short         5148          9.4062
CFD            Short         15644         9.4448
CFD            Short         9201          9.4502
CFD            Short         6355          9.4522
CFD            Short         12263         9.4548
CFD            Short         2674          9.4641
CFD            Long          4014          9.4283
CFD            Long          514           9.43
CFD            Long          7628          9.4387
CFD            Long          3688          9.4394
CFD            Long          3454          9.4521
CFD            Long          3201          9.4538
CFD            Long          230           9.4783

(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                         17 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