Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
19 August 2002


DIRECTORS' INTERESTS


The independent trustees of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust 
("BATGET") and the B.A.T Industries Employee Share Ownership Plan ("BATESOP")
notified the Company on 16 August 2002 that on the same day a total of 28,530
British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares (the "Shares") had been
transferred from the BATGET to the BATESOP to correct an error whereby Shares
were released from the BATESOP upon the exercise of options under the British
American Tobacco Share Option Scheme (the "Scheme").  The participant who had
exercised options was not a director of British American Tobacco p.l.c.



In addition, the independent trustee of the BATGET notified the Company on 16
August 2002 that 5,899 Shares released in error to a participant in the Scheme
on 16 May 2002 had been returned to the Trust.  The participant to whom the
Shares had been released was not a director of British American Tobacco p.l.c.



Following these notifications, the independent trustee of the BATGET holds a
total of 37,136,494 Shares and the independent trustee of the BATESOP holds a
total of 1,263,480 Shares.  The following executive directors, together with
other employees, are potential beneficiaries under these trusts and are
therefore treated as having an interest: Mr P N Adams, Mr M F Broughton, Mr A
Monteiro de Castro and Mr P A Rayner.








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