Third Quarter Results for Bhs and Mothercare

Storehouse PLC
13 January 2000



                STOREHOUSE ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER RESULTS FOR
                           Bhs AND MOTHERCARE

Bhs

Bhs sales            First half      Third quarter
UK stores              -4.4%             -1.0%
UK like-for-like       -9.2%             -4.4%

For the 12 weeks to 1 January 2000, Bhs' total UK sales were down by 1.0 per
cent compared with a 4.4 per cent decline in the first half.  Like-for-like
sales fell by 4.4 per cent against a first half reduction of 9.2 per cent.
Gross margins for the third quarter reduced by 2.4 percentage points against a
decline of 2.1 percentage points for the first half.

Stocks are 0.2 per cent down compared with last year's level.

The restructuring of Bhs, announced at the interim stage, as a value retailer
in clothing, homeware and food is proceeding.  The introduction of a food
offer at Bhs' Birmingham store continues to meet expectations.  Food halls
will be in 10 stores by the end of the current financial year.  Details of the
restructuring and related costs will be provided in the preliminary
announcement on 25 May 2000.


Mothercare

Mothercare sales             First half    Third quarter
Ongoing UK stores              -0.1%           +5.3%
Ongoing UK like-for-like        Flat           +1.8%
UK stores                      -2.9%           -5.9%
UK like-for-like               -1.2%           -0.2%

Total UK sales at Mothercare's ongoing stores (i.e. excluding the 82 disposal
stores) for the 12 week period to 1 January 2000 increased by 5.3 per cent
compared with a 0.1 per cent decline during the first half.  Like-for-like
sales at these stores increased by 1.8 per cent against flat sales for the
first half.  The reduction in gross margins in these stores was 0.6 percentage
points compared with a fall of 3.7 percentage points in the first half.

The closure programme is accelerating (53 stores have now closed) and
therefore UK sales for Mothercare as a whole declined by 5.9 per cent during
the quarter compared with 2.9 per cent for the first half.  On a like-for-like
basis, quarter three showed a reduction in sales of 0.2 per cent compared with
a 1.2 per cent decline for the first half.  The decline in gross margins was
1.3 percentage points against a fall of 4.8 percentage points in the first
half.

Stocks at Mothercare are 24.6 per cent lower than last year.

   

Enquiries to:
Storehouse plc
Chris Martin, Group finance director              0171 339 2152
Stephen Pain, Director of corporate affairs       0171 339 2577

Brunswick Group Limited
Susan Gilchrist/Victoria Sabin                    0171 404 5959