Holding in Company

Next PLC
18 August 2000


DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS IN SHARES - PART VI COMPANIES ACT 1985

A notification dated 15 August has been received by the Company from Fidelity
Investments in that Fidelity International Limited and its direct and indirect
subsidiaries hold 10,090,222 Ordinary shares of 10p each which represents 2.99%
of the issued share capital of Next plc.

The Company has also been notified on 16 August by Scottish Widows Investment
Partnership on behalf of Lloyds TSB Group plc, Lloyds TSB Bank plc and Scottish
Widows Group Limited, that following the aggregation of the funds of Hill Samuel
Asset Management Ltd and the funds of Scottish Widows Investment Management Ltd,
the combined asset management operation, known from 30th June as Scottish Widows
Investment Partnership Ltd, is interested in 14,678,664 Ordinary shares of Next
plc.  Of this interest 10,178,603 shares are material interests, which
represents 3.02% of the issued share capital of Next plc.