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               18 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       6,693,196      4.49%        121,172     0.08%
securities
(2) Derivatives      497,516      0.33%        104,081     0.07%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,190,712     4.82%         225,253     0.15%

(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      30,817               9.3779
Purchase      268                  9.1515
Purchase      6,795                9.6438
Purchase      2,400                9.5450
Purchase      7,395                9.4103
Purchase      7,301                9.4337
Purchase      3,000                9.3775
Purchase      2,400                9.5450
Purchase      2,000                9.4698
Purchase      343                  9.4350
Purchase      573                  9.4432
Purchase      22,684               9.4477
Purchase      5,330                9.4171
Purchase      268                  9.1515
Purchase      2,476                9.2169
Purchase      2,400                9.5113
Purchase      3,560                9.3895
Purchase      6,315                9.2804
Purchase      7,892                9.3787
Purchase      2,400                9.5462
Purchase      4,036                9.4521
Purchase      40,012               9.4331
Purchase      30,817               9.3779
Sale          6,795                9.6438
Sale          7,395                9.4095
Sale          5,330                9.4171
Sale          7,892                9.3778
Sale          2,400                9.5450
Sale          3,560                9.3895
Sale          2,400                9.5113
Sale          2,000                9.4698
Sale          2,400                9.5450
Sale          573                  9.4432
Sale          4,036                9.4503
Sale          30,817               9.3779
Sale          268                  9.1515
Sale          1,380                9.3900
Sale          7,301                9.4327
Sale          40,012               9.4331
Sale          2,476                9.2169
Sale          573                  9.4432
Sale          3,000                9.3775
Sale          22,684               9.4477
Sale          40,012               9.4331
Sale          6,315                9.2786
Sale          3,560                9.3895

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         268           9.1514
CFD            Short         2476          9.2168
CFD            Short         6315          9.2803
CFD            Short         6949          9.3895
CFD            Short         7395          9.4103
CFD            Short         5330          9.4171
CFD            Short         7301          9.4336
CFD            Short         2000          9.4697
CFD            Short         2400          9.5461
CFD            Long          3000          9.3775
CFD            Long          7892          9.3778
CFD            Long          3560          9.3894
CFD            Long          573           9.4431
CFD            Long          22684         9.4477
CFD            Long          4036          9.4503
CFD            Long          2400          9.5112

(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                         21 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