Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
12 December 2003

DIRECTORS' INTERESTS

The independent trustee of the B.A.T Industries Employee Share Ownership Plan
notified the Company on 12 December 2003 that it had on 11 December 2003
released 99,331 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares (the "Shares
") to Mr A Monteiro de Castro, a Director of British American Tobacco p.l.c,
following Mr Monteiro de Castro's exercise on 11 December 2003 of options
granted under the B.A.T Industries Employee Share "E" Option Scheme.

The options were exercised by Mr Monteiro de Castro at the following prices:

            12,561 @ 318.80p
            28,310 @ 344.64p
            29,238 @ 348.19p
            29,222 @ 375.64p

On the same day, he sold the resulting 99,331 Shares at a price of 742p per
Share.

In addition, the independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group
Employee Trust notified the Company on 12 December 2003 that it had on 11
December 2003 released 129,461 Shares to Mr A Monteiro de Castro, following Mr
Monteiro de Castro's exercise of an award under the British American Tobacco
Long Term Incentive Plan.

Following these transactions, Mr Monteiro de Castro has a beneficial interest in
332,550 Shares (including 70,414 Shares under the Deferred Share Bonus Scheme).
This is an increase of 129,461 Shares in Mr Monteiro de Castro's total holding
in British American Tobacco p.l.c.

Following these transactions, the independent trustee of the B.A.T Industries
Employee Share Ownership Plan holds a total of 658,418 Shares and the
independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust holds a
total of 31,534,001 Shares.  The following executive directors, together with
other employees, are potential beneficiaries under the British American Tobacco
Group Employee Trust and are therefore treated as having an interest:  Mr M F
Broughton, Mr P N Adams, Mr P A Rayner, and Mr A Monteiro de Castro.  In
addition, Mr P N Adams, together with other employees, is a potential
beneficiary under the B.A.T Industries Employee Share Ownership Plan.


ENQUIRIES:

Investor Relations:
Ralph Edmondson    020 7845 1180

Press Office:
David Betteridge / Sarah Corbey /Anne Tradigo   020 7845 2888


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