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               22 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       6,757,066     4.53%         98,251      0.07%
securities
(2) Derivatives      464,529     0.31%        146,595      0.10%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,221,595     4.84%        244,846      0.16%


(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      3,550                7.6150
Purchase      753                  9.2802
Purchase      6,223                9.2734
Purchase      1,907                7.7500
Purchase      64,520               8.7978
Purchase      2,746                9.1517
Purchase      11,017               9.0523
Purchase      172,764              9.0682
Purchase      2,118                9.2226
Purchase      172,764              9.0682
Purchase      10,328               7.9239
Purchase      9,538                9.2623
Purchase      5,203                9.2350
Purchase      108,244              9.2294
Purchase      35,695               9.2293
Purchase      3,418                7.6500
Purchase      27,366               9.2163
Purchase      33,037               9.2052
Purchase      64,241               9.2257
Sale          5,203                9.2340
Sale          64,241               9.2257
Sale          3,550                7.6150
Sale          27,366               9.2163
Sale          172,764              9.0682
Sale          500                  9.2550
Sale          10,328               7.9239
Sale          6,223                9.2734
Sale          9,538                9.2623
Sale          11,017               9.0523
Sale          35,695               9.2276
Sale          2,118                9.2226
Sale          2,746                9.1500
Sale          64,520               8.7978
Sale          1,907                7.7500
Sale          33,037               9.2035
Sale          753                  9.2793
Sale          2,118                9.2226
Sale          11,017               9.0523
Sale          3,418                7.6500
Sale          64,520               8.7978
Sale          450                  9.1850
Sale          108,244              9.2294


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1907          7.75
CFD            Short         22815         8.1735
CFD            Short         2746          9.1517
CFD            Short         8456          9.1882
CFD            Short         27366         9.2163
CFD            Short         3323          9.2227
CFD            Short         64241         9.2256
CFD            Short         34146         9.2267
CFD            Short         35695         9.2293
CFD            Short         5203          9.2349
CFD            Short         8938          9.2621
CFD            Short         9538          9.2623
CFD            Long          3550          7.615
CFD            Long          3418          7.65
CFD            Long          10328         7.9238
CFD            Long          7211          8.8476
CFD            Long          11017         9.0523
CFD            Long          32679         9.202
CFD            Long          33037         9.2034
CFD            Long          2118          9.2226
CFD            Long          6223          9.2733
CFD            Long          753           9.2792


(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                         23 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