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               21 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       6,662,907     4.47%        122,968      0.08%
securities
(2) Derivatives      492,569     0.33%         76,203      0.05%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,155,476     4.80%         199,171     0.13%

(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      33,610               9.3894
Purchase      21,459               9.3742
Purchase      981                  9.4990
Purchase      981                  9.4900
Purchase      31,955               9.3837
Purchase      3,542                9.4012
Purchase      400                  9.3200
Purchase      4,111                9.4265
Purchase      2,624                9.3228
Purchase      2,831                9.4122
Purchase      89,857               9.3731
Purchase      63,014               9.3763
Purchase      2,490                9.3015
Purchase      21,775               9.3567
Purchase      63,014               9.3763
Purchase      1,631                9.2904
Purchase      26,843               9.3657
Purchase      6,000                9.3313
Purchase      21,312               9.3670
Sale          615                  9.3000
Sale          33,610               9.3876
Sale          2,490                9.3005
Sale          3,542                9.4004
Sale          21,775               9.3567
Sale          63,014               9.3763
Sale          21,459               9.3742
Sale          31,955               9.3819
Sale          981                  9.4882
Sale          6,000                9.3313
Sale          981                  9.4972
Sale          26,843               9.3657
Sale          2,831                9.4122
Sale          4,111                9.4257
Sale          21,312               9.3670
Sale          2,624                9.3219
Sale          89,857               9.3731
Sale          400                  9.3200
Sale          1,631                9.2904
Sale          89,857               9.3731
Sale          2,831                9.4122

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1631          9.2903
CFD            Short         400           9.32
CFD            Short         2624          9.3227
CFD            Short         1384          9.3454
CFD            Short         5359          9.3456
CFD            Short         21312         9.367
CFD            Short         31955         9.3836
CFD            Short         4111          9.4265
CFD            Short         981           9.499
CFD            Long          2490          9.3005
CFD            Long          6000          9.3312
CFD            Long          21775         9.3567
CFD            Long          21459         9.3742
CFD            Long          33610         9.3876
CFD            Long          3542          9.4003
CFD            Long          2831          9.4122
CFD            Long          981           9.4881

(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                         22 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