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               29 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       6,492,364     4.35%        106,965      0.07%
securities
(2) Derivatives      452,274     0.30%         52,007      0.03%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,944,638     4.66%        158,972      0.11%


(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      501                  8.0363
Purchase      6,610                8.1587
Purchase      4,975                8.0777
Purchase      1,016                8.1866
Purchase      2,220                8.1061
Purchase      2,500                8.1469
Purchase      200                  Transfer
Purchase      10,946               8.1322
Purchase      501                  8.0363
Sale          870                  8.0350
Sale          2,208                8.1169
Sale          2,500                8.1469
Sale          1,511                8.1146
Sale          47,133               8.1664
Sale          11,065               8.1161
Sale          1,325                8.1100
Sale          1,677                8.0291
Sale          5,904                8.1422
Sale          4,974                8.0651
Sale          2,500                8.1469
Sale          1,760                8.1500
Sale          501                  8.0363
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         501           8.0363
CFD            Short         4975          8.0777
CFD            Short         2220          8.106
CFD            Short         10946         8.1322
CFD            Short         6610          8.1586
CFD            Short         1016          8.1866
CFD            Long          1677          8.0291
CFD            Long          4974          8.065
CFD            Long          1511          8.1145
CFD            Long          11065         8.1161
CFD            Long          2208          8.1169
CFD            Long          1844          8.1281
CFD            Long          5904          8.1422
CFD            Long          2500          8.1469
CFD            Long          1760          8.15
CFD            Long          47133         8.1663

(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                         30 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