Holding in Company

Great Universal Stores PLC
19 July 2001


The Great Universal Stores P.L.C. has today received a notification dated 18
July, in compliance with Part V1 of the Companies Act 1985, advising that, as of
16 July, Lazard Freres & Co. LLC, doing business as Lazard Asset Management, and
its subsidiaries no longer hold a notifiable interest in the ordinary shares of
25p each in this Company.