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               28 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       6,548,467     4.39%         53,375      0.04%
securities
(2) Derivatives      398,684     0.27%         52,725      0.04%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,947,151     4.66%         106,100     0.07%


(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      750                  7.9150
Purchase      4,974                8.0651
Purchase      249                  8.1250
Purchase      13,177               8.0921
Purchase      8,586               .0819
Purchase      4,528                8.1000
Purchase      268                  9.1515
Purchase      4,739                8.1188
Purchase      1,115                8.2750
Purchase      7,172                8.0612
Purchase      1,258                8.1000
Purchase      900                  7.9450
Sale          7,092                8.0748
Sale          250                  8.1350
Sale          1,832                8.1030
Sale          321                  7.9000
Sale          9,406                8.0290
Sale          26,757               8.0574
Sale          573                  9.4432
Sale          4,974                8.0651
Sale          3,098                7.8904
Sale          750                  8.0550

NB: The below transactions which were previously disclosed have been cancelled
Deal Date      Purchase/Sale   Number of Securities   Price per unit (GBP)
25/01/2008     Sale            2,208                  8.1169
25/01/2008     Sale            1,844                  8.1282

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         8586          0.0818
CFD            Short         750           7.915
CFD            Short         7172          8.0611
CFD            Short         9634          8.0651
CFD            Short         13177         8.0921
CFD            Short         4739          8.1188
CFD            Short         249           8.125
CFD            Short         268           9.1514
CFD            Long          3098          7.8904
CFD            Long          9406          8.0289
CFD            Long          26757         8.0574
CFD            Long          7092          8.0748
CFD            Long          1832          8.103
CFD            Long          573           9.4431

NB: The below transactions which were previously disclosed have been cancelled
Deal Date      Long/Short    Number of Securities    Price per unit (GBP)
25/01/2008     Long          1,844                   8.1281
25/01/2008     Long          2,208                   8.1169

(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                         29 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