Rule 8.3 - MATALAN PLC

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              MATALAN PLC
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP 0.10
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               04 September 2006

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      5,934,977     1.45%            794,840   0.19%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,066,300     0.26%          4,936,790   1.21%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0     0.00%                  0   0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total             7,001,277     1.71%          5,731,630   1.40%


(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      28,100               1.7400
Purchase      4,100                1.7288
Purchase      10,800               1.7165
Purchase      3,500                1.7325
Purchase      3,800                1.7143
Purchase      16,382               1.7103
Purchase      27,110               1.7228
Sale          20,860               1.7300
Sale          800                  1.7147
Sale          17,888               1.7112


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product    Long/Short    Number of Securities  Price Per
name,      (Note 6)      (Note 7)              Unit (GBP)
e.g. CFD
CFD        Short         17888                 1.7112
CFD        Short         800                   1.7146
CFD        Short         20860                 1.7300
CFD        Long          16382                 1.7103
CFD        Long          3800                  1.7142
CFD        Long          10800                 1.7164
CFD        Long          15553                 1.7168
CFD        Long          27110                 1.7227
CFD        Long          4100                  1.7287
CFD        Long          3500                  1.7325
CFD        Long          28100                 1.7400


(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

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                         05 September 2006
Contact name                               BARCLAYS COMPLIANCE
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