Acquisition

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
22 December 2004

22 December 2004



                   Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (' Bloomsbury')



              Acquisition of Walker Publishing expands US presence





Bloomsbury announced today that it has entered into a conditional acquisition
agreement to acquire Walker Publishing Company, Inc., an American publisher of
adult non fiction and children's books based in New York for an initial
consideration of up to US $6.5 million, with further potential earn-out payments
of no more than US $ 500,000. The consideration will be paid in cash and, in
respect of one vendor, the issue of up to US $284,958 worth of Bloomsbury new
ordinary shares.  On completion the business of Bloomsbury USA will be
incorporated into Walker Publishing Company, Inc., although the book imprints of
both companies will operate in separate divisions within the US operation.



The acquisition is expected to be earnings neutral in its first full year of
ownership. Completion is expected to take place on 31st December 2004.



Nigel Newton, Chief Executive of Bloomsbury said



'This is a very exciting move for Bloomsbury as completion of this acquisition
will consolidate our position in the US book publishing market. Walker has been
established in America for 45 years and its imprints and publishing track record
are well known in the industry. The combined force of the two operations will
enable Bloomsbury to broaden the Group's presence in the US market. The
acquisition is an important step in our strategy of building a significant US
publishing operation.'





For further information, please contact:


Tim Spratt/Charles Palmer

Financial Dynamics                                    020 7831 3113


Sandy Karon, PA to the Chief Executive                020 7494 6015

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc








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