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               31 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       6,438,441     4.32%        183,270      0.12%
securities
(2) Derivatives      528,579     0.35%         58,303      0.04%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,967,020     4.67%         241,573     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      1,285                8.2864
Purchase      10,588               8.2500
Purchase      2,450                8.2500
Purchase      521                  8.1156
Purchase      8,402                8.2514
Purchase      4,338                8.1405
Purchase      1,285                8.2864
Purchase      13,088               8.2027
Purchase      7,217                8.1338
Purchase      8,466                8.1350
Purchase      3,512                8.1586
Purchase      1,133                8.1437
Purchase      5,827                8.1637
Purchase      2,450                8.1870
Purchase      521                  8.2500
Purchase      1,752                8.1906
Purchase      1,752                8.2500
Sale          1,752                8.2500
Sale          7,736                8.0950
Sale          200                  8.2100
Sale          37,350               8.0914
Sale          2,816                8.1795
Sale          1,278                8.2256
Sale          1,133                8.1437
Sale          2,450                8.2500
Sale          1,133                8.1437
Sale          521                  8.2500
Sale          1,285                8.2864
Sale          17,369               8.0842
Sale          6,975                8.1187
Sale          4,350                8.1692

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         7217          8.1337
CFD            Short         8466          8.1349
CFD            Short         4338          8.1404
CFD            Short         3512          8.1585
CFD            Short         5827          8.1636
CFD            Short         13088         8.2026
CFD            Short         8402          8.2514
CFD            Short         1285          8.2863
CFD            Long          17369         8.0842
CFD            Long          37350         8.0913
CFD            Long          7736          8.095
CFD            Long          6975          8.1187
CFD            Long          1133          8.1436
CFD            Long          4350          8.1691
CFD            Long          2816          8.1794
CFD            Long          1278          8.2256

(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                         01 February 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