Holding(s) in Company

British American Tobacco PLC
27 January 2003


HOLDING OF SHARES IN THE COMPANY



British American Tobacco p.l.c. (the "Company") received on 23 January 2003 a
notification dated 23 January 2003 from The Law Debenture Trust Corporation
p.l.c. of London ("Law Debenture Trust Corporation") stating that, pursuant to
sections 198 to 202 of the Companies Act 1985, Law Debenture Trust Corporation,
together with The Law Debenture Corporation p.l.c. ("Law Debenture 
Corporation"), is interested in a total of 121,457,326 ordinary shares in the 
Company ("Ordinary Shares") (representing 5.56 per cent of the Company's issued
ordinary share capital) comprised as follows:


(1)        120,867,326 Ordinary Shares registered in the name of R & R Holdings
S.A. ("R&R"), being the subject of a charge created by R&R in favour of Law
Debenture Trust Corporation in connection with an issue on 23 January 2003 by 
R&R of secured warrants exercisable into Ordinary Shares; and



(2)        590,000 Ordinary Shares registered in the name of Law Debenture
Corporation and beneficially owned by Law Debenture Corporation.



Note:    R&R continues to have an unchanged registered and beneficial interest
in: (1) a total of 604,336,627 Ordinary Shares, being 27.70 per cent of the
Company's issued ordinary share capital pursuant to the Standstill Agreement
dated 11 January 1999 entered into between the Company, R&R, Compagnie
Financiere Richemont AG and Rembrandt Group Limited; and (2) 120,867,326
convertible redeemable preference shares of 25p each in the Company, being 100
per cent of the Company's preference share capital.







Dated: 27 January 2003


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