Sale of Kings Super Markets

Marks & Spencer Group PLC
31 March 2006



Issued on: Friday 31 March 2006, 0700 GMT



           MARKS & SPENCER ANNOUNCES SALE OF KINGS SUPER MARKETS, INC



Marks and Spencer Group plc today announces the sale of Kings Super Markets, Inc
('Kings') to a US investor group consisting of Angelo, Gordon & Co. ('Angelo
Gordon'), MTN Capital Partners LLC ('MTN Capital') and Mr. Bruce Weitz for
$61.5 million in cash (£35.4m).  Angelo Gordon and MTN Capital are co-sponsors
and Mr. Weitz is the operating partner in the transaction.



The transaction is expected to close by the end of April.



For the year to 2 April 2005, turnover of Kings was $405.9m (£219.8m) and
operating profit was $7.9m (£4.3m).  This compares to a turnover in 2004 of
$403.2m (£238.8m) and operating profit of $4.2m (£2.4m).  As at 2 April 2005,
net assets of Kings being disposed of, excluding cash, were $57.0m (£30.2m).



Ian Dyson, Group Finance Director, Marks & Spencer, said:



'The disposal of Kings is the last part of our programme to refocus Marks &
Spencer. Kings is a strong brand with a committed workforce, but it doesn't fit
within our core business.  We wish them well under their new ownership.'





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For more information, please contact:

Marks & Spencer Investor Relations
Amanda Mellor + 44 208 718 3604/ + 44 7747 461241



Marks & Spencer Corporate Press Office
Clair Foster + 44 20 8718 8323 / + 44 7748 147851
Sue Sadler + 44 20 8718 8642 / + 44 7831 829891

Hill and Knowlton, New York (for Marks & Spencer)
Erica Keane + 1 212 885 0322
Kristen Foster + 1 212 885 0354



Rubenstein Associates (for Angelo Gordon/MTN Capital and Mr Weitz)
Marcia Horowitz + 1 212 843 8014
Adam Isserlis + 1 212 843-8024



Notes to editors

Kings Super Markets was founded in 1936 in Summit by the Bildner family.  Its
headquarters are in Parsippany, New Jersey, with 26 stores, ranging from 6,000
to 27,000 sq ft net, serving northern New Jersey and Garden City, Long Island.
Kings employs 2,250 full- and part-time associates in its stores and head
office.



Angelo Gordon (www.angelogordon.com) was founded in 1988 and currently has over
50 investment professionals managing approximately $10 billion in capital across
multiple investment strategies.  The New York-based private equity group
currently manages over $800 million in existing and committed capital.



New York-based MTN Capital (www.mtncapital.com) is a private equity firm that
focuses on middle market companies.  MTN has extensive experience investing in
retail companies and works on bringing both the capital as well as the
operational resources needed to achieve successful investments.



Bruce Weitz has over 30 years of senior management experience working with
supermarket and retail companies. He was previously CEO at Duane Reade
Drugstores and Today's Man, Inc. and President of First National Supermarkets
and Grossman's Home Centers. He has also held executive positions at Wakefern
Food Corporation/ShopRite Supermarkets and Price Chopper Supermarkets.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange