Acquisition of Groupe Timeless SA for £7.2million

Christie Group PLC
8 March 2000


                      Christie Group plc
Acquisition of Groupe Timeless SA ('Timeless') for £7.2million
                               
   Combination of Timeless and Venners Computer Systems will
create a major new European presence in retail and hospitality
                         EPoS software

Christie  Group  plc  today acquired Timeless  for  a  maximum
consideration  of FFr 78.2 million (£7.2 million)  payable  in
cash  and  shares.  Based in France, Timeless is  the  leading
supplier of EPoS and Head Office systems to the fashion retail
sector, with an established customer base of 3,000 licences in
Europe.   Timeless  is  complementary to  Christie's  software
business,  Venners  Computer  Systems,  which  specialises  in
providing  EPoS  systems,  site  management  software  and  e-
business  solutions  to the leisure and  hospitality  markets.
Venners  Computer  Systems and Timeless will  be  operated  as
separate  companies  focusing on the  hospitality  and  retail
sectors across Europe and North America.

Combining  Venners  Computer Systems and  Timeless  creates  a
business with existing revenues of over £14 million (unaudited
year  to  31  December 1999) and in excess  of  6000  licences
worldwide.

Acquiring  Timeless  will  significantly  strengthen  Christie
Group's position throughout Europe, bringing:

- An experienced management team, with a total of 60 years'
  industry experience;

- Electronic Point of Sales (EPoS) and Head Office software for 
  the non-food retail sector with full touch and internet/intranet
  functionality, available on Windows NT and Unix platforms;

- Over 3,000 licences installed in Europe with clients such as 
  Calvin Klein Jeans, Caroll, Manfield, Naf Naf, Sara Lee and 
  Redskins;

- A substantial sales and operations base in Paris and an R & D 
  facility in Montpellier.

Timeless is currently expanding its customer base  throughout
continental Europe, driven by sales of Colombus, the company's
new  flagship EPoS product.  Launched in 1996, Colombus  is  a
multi-lingual  and  multi-currency  system  for  retail  sales
management  and stock optimisation in a multi-store,  non-food
environment.  Originally developed for  the  clothing  sector,
adaptations  for  the perfume / cosmetics and  sporting  goods
sectors  have  already been released.  Plans are  in  hand  to
launch Colombus software in the UK in the summer.

Timeless's  founder  and Chief Executive, Yves  Doukhan,  will
remain  with  the company and will join the board  of  Venners
Retail  Systems  (Holdings) Limited and  together  with  other
senior  management, will have three year service contracts  in
place.

The initial consideration to be paid for Timeless is FFr 73.2
million  (£6.8 million), which is to be satisfied by FFr  52.5
million (£4.9 million at a closing rate of £1 = FFr 10.82)  in
cash  and 994,000 Christie Group plc shares (at a closing mid-
market  price  of 192.5p).  These shares must be  held  for  a
minimum period as to one-third to 31 December 2000, a third to
31 December 2001 and a final third to 31 December 2002.

An earn-out may be payable in respect of the twelve months to
31 March 2001.  The maximum amount payable under the earn-out
is FFr 5,000,000 (£0.5 million).

Timeless's  audited  accounts  to  31  December  1998  show  a
turnover of FFr 56.2 million (£5.2 million), profit before tax
of  FFr 2.7 million (£0.3 million) and net assets of FFr  10.0
million (£0.9 million).

Timeless' unaudited management accounts for the year ended  31
December  1999 show an increased turnover of FFr 89.0  million
(£8.3  million) reflecting in part continuing successful sales
of  Colombus,  its new EPoS product.  The trading  performance
for the same period has also improved.

The 1999 audited results for Timeless will be included in the
Christie Group  preliminary results for  the  year  ended  31
December 1999, which are planned to be released on 29 March.

Commenting on the acquisition, David Rugg, Group Managing
Director said:

'This is a major step forward in Christie Group's strategy  to
develop a pan-European software, internet and kiosk  business
presence.  We have built on our success in the hospitality and
leisure sectors with an acquisition giving us a  major  reach
into retail for the first time.  With demand for these products 
continuing to grow, we see a very real opportunity to
develop a leading European business in this field, building on 
the existing strengths of both Timeless and Venners  Computer
Systems in their respective markets.'

Enquiries
Christie Group:
Philip Gwyn (Chairman)                [phone]

David Rugg (Managing Director)        [phone]

Robert Zenker (Finance Director)      [phone]

Venners Retail Systems:
Stephen Mansfield (Managing Director) [phone]


Brunswick Group:

Charlotte Elston                      [phone]




Notes for Editors

Timeless is being acquired by Venners Retail Systems
(Holdings) Limited, the software and computer services arm of
Christie  Group plc.  This division will consist of  Timeless,
Venners Computer Systems and Venners Touch Systems businesses.
The combined division has:

- EPoS and Head Office software for the Hospitality, Leisure
  and Retail sectors.

- Internet, WAP, Touch enabled, multimedia and kiosk
  technology for application within its specialist areas of
  food, non-food and public information.

- Locations in Milton Keynes, Paris, Montpellier, Frankfurt,
  Barcelona and Toronto.

- Over 6,000 licences installed with a customer base including
  Greggs plc, UCI Cinemas Worldwide, Famous Players (Canada),
  Thorntons PLC, HM Prison Service, Naf Naf, Calvin Klein Jeans,
  Sara Lee, Redskin's and Caroll.

- A strategy of providing Touch based EPoS, Head Office and
  Internet applications across Europe and North America to a
  predominately Retail client base.  These applications to be
  provided through its own companies and strategic partnerships
  (partnership with Planit Holdings PLC announced recently).