Pre-Close Trading Statement

Printing.com plc
20 April 2005


TO BE RELEASED                     7.00AM                          20 APRIL 2005

                                PRINTING.COM PLC
                        ('Printing.com' or 'the Company')
    Specialist retail chain with 102 Outlets (plus 17 pending) across the UK
                                        
                            Pre close trading update

* Robust trading to year end
* Results in line with market expectations
* Additional 7 Bolt-on Franchise Agreements completed
* Additional 2 Printing.com Territory Franchise Stores open
* 3 new Territory Franchises under Option
* 119 Outlets, 102 operational plus 17 pending
* Cash generation strong in second half
* Prospect of maiden dividend
* Directors optimistic that the outlook for the Group is positive

Recent Trading and Market Expectations

We are pleased to report that, post our last market update on 17 February 2005,
trading continued to prove robust and in line with expectations. Additionally
the estate expansion, for both Territory and Bolt-on Franchises, has proved
encouraging.

The Company's unaudited management accounts for the year ending 4 April 2005
indicate a pre tax profit in line with recent market expectations. Of particular
note has been the strong generation of cash from operational activity during the
second half of the fiscal year.

Territory Franchise Development

When last updating the market we reported our anticipation that the Coventry and
Dublin North Territory Franchises would be open by 31 March 2005. These
Franchise Agreements have now been completed. The Dublin North Territory
Franchise is now operational, albeit from interim premises, whilst Coventry
still requires the completion of certain property matters. We are also pleased
to report that last month a further Store commenced trading in Luton (part of
our Hertfordshire Territory Franchise) several months ahead of expectations.

Encouragingly, property has now been secured for the Brighton Territory
Franchise and the Store is currently undergoing shop fitting. An offer has also
been made in respect of premises in the Manchester North area.

Also, at the time of the last update, we reported that an Option had been taken
out covering the Territory Franchise for our Nottingham Store and that a
Management Buyout of our Sheffield Store was expected. We are pleased to report
that both of these transactions were completed prior to the year end.

In addition a further three Options (each involving the payment of a
non-refundable deposit of £6,000) have been taken out, covering Birmingham East,
Birmingham South West and Northamptonshire. This took the number of operational
Stores by the year end to 32 (9 company owned), with a further 8 pending under
'Option'.

The recent Franchise exhibition in London proved to be a success, adding to the
number of high calibre prospective Franchisees being interviewed and assessed,
and we are optimistic that additional Options will be granted in the first half
of the next financial year.

Bolt-on Franchise Development

Since the last market update an additional 7 Bolt-on Franchise Agreements have
been completed. This took the total number of operational Bolt-ons at the year
end to 70 with a further 9 pending. The overwhelming majority of these
additional Bolt-on Franchises were secured in territories where either a Company
Store or Territory Franchise is in operation. This lends further weight to the
belief that Bolt-on Franchise expansion will continue to accelerate with further
development of the Territory Franchise structure.

The Directors note the strong pipeline of prospective Bolt-on Franchises and are
confident that additional agreements will be completed over the coming months.

Cash

We commented in the Company's Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 31
March 2004 that the Company's model indicated that future cash flow should more
closely follow profit. We are pleased to announce that this expectation has been
realised during the year just ended on 4th April 2005. Indeed during the second
half of the year the Company's operating cash flow exceeded the Company's
unaudited operating profit.

Commencement of Dividends

With Printing.com's balance sheet now showing distributable reserves, albeit at
a modest level at this juncture, it is anticipated that the Company will be in a
position to declare a maiden dividend when it announces its preliminary results
in June of this year; A further very important milestone in the Company's rapid
development

The Directors remain optimistic that the outlook for the future development of
the Group is positive and that shareholders can look forward to further growth.

For further information:


Printing.com plc

Tony Rafferty (Chief Executive)           07966 517 336
Alan Roberts (Finance Director)           0161 848 5713

Beattie Financial

Brian Coleman-Smith / Jo Clewlow           020 7053 6400

The Directors of Printing.com plc take full responsibility for this
announcement.



Outlet                      Region             Town                  Post Code

Red Hot Media               East               Lowestoft             NR32 1EB
Goldengate                  East               Suffolk               IP30 9QS
Dublin Store                Ireland            Dublin                Dublin 2
North Dublin                Ireland            Dublin                Dublin 7
Central London Store        London             Baker Street          NW1 6UY
Hampstead Store             London             Hampstead             NW3 5HS
Watford Store               London             Watford               WD17 1RA
Harrow Store                London             Harrow                HA7 2QJ
Reading Store               London             Reading               RG1 4QA
Ealing Store                London             Ealing                W13 8SB
Orpington                   London             Orpington             BR6 0JY
Luton                       London             Luton                 LU1 2PL
Expocentric - Wardour       London             Soho                  W1V 3AU
Expocentric - Dover         London             Mayfair               W1X 3PH
London & General            London             Chelsea               SW10 0XF
Full Colour Store           London             Clapham               SW17 9SH
Print Express               London             Colindale             NW9 5DL
0800 Promote                London             Finchley              N3 1TR
Printer Net Services        London             Wimbledon             SW19 8TY
London Print Compamy        London             Shaftesbury Avenue    WC2H 8EB
Printhouse                  London             Nottinghill           W11 3HT
0800 Promote                London             North Finchley        N12 9QG
Birmingham Store            Midlands           Birmingham            B5 4JL
Oxford Store                Midlands           Oxford                OX2 7HT
Leicester Store             Midlands           Leicester             LE1 1LB
Wolverhampton               Midlands           Wolverhampton         WV1 4BL
Nottingham Store            Midlands           Nottingham            NG1 6DQ
Kaleidoscope                Midlands           Leamington Spa        CV31 1BZ
Albry Printing Company      Midlands           Wallingford           OX10 9DA
Final Imaging               Midlands           Sawtry                PE28 5SB
Dove Signs                  Midlands           Nuneaton              CV11 6GX
Custard Creative            Midlands           Northampton           NN3 6WL
Cre8ive Design              Midlands           Kenilworth            CV8 1JD
For Colour                  Midlands           Newark, Nottingham    NG24 1LE
Sign It                     Midlands           Beeston, Nottingham   NG9 2AY
Ozmedia Print               Midlands           Barrow Upon Soar      LE12 8JH
Pewter Design               Midlands           Market Harborough     LE16 7DS
St Ives Quickprint          Midlands           St Ives               PE27 3WS
Artichoke Design            Midlands           Birmingham            B18 6NN
The Ideas Room              Midlands           Leicester             LE3 0DL
Ideas Taking Shape          Midlands           Rugby                 CV21 2SD
Graphic Results             Midlands           Belper                DE56 1AY
The Studio                  Midlands           Walsall               WS1 1JQ
Hussellworks                Midlands           Halesowen             B63 3HR
Hull Store                  North East         Hull                  HU1 2AG
Newcastle Store             North East         Newcastle             NE1 5EE
Leeds Store                 North East         Leeds                 LS1 3DL
Middlesbrough               North East         Middlesbrough         DL16 7HH
Sheffield Store             North East         Sheffield             S1 4GF
Colour Box Design           North East         York                  YO23 1NA
Multiprint                  North East         Normanton             WF6 2AF
Print House Direct          North East         Bishop Auckland       DL14 0LZ
The Factory                 North East         Leeds                 LS12 2DS
Maskerade Design            North East         Sunderland            SR2 7PR
Pro-Actif Communications    North East         Darlington            DL3 7TD
GOWEB                       North East         Wakefield             WF2 9BL
Creative Web design UK      North East         Alnwick               NE71 6EA
Blah D Blah                 North Wales        Bangor                LL57 1NY
Manchester Store            North West         Manchester            M3 4BQ
The Hub                     North West         Trafford Park         M17 1FG
Liverpool Store             North West         Liverpool             L2 2HF
Lancaster Store             North West         Lancaster             LA1 1XN
Warrington                  North West         Warrington            WA1 1EP
Granthams - Preston         North West         Preston               PR1 2UQ
Granthams - Blackpool       North West         Blackpool             FY1 4PE
Print Design Warehouse      North West         Marple                SK6 7AD
RAS Limited                 North West         Chester               CH3 5AG
Silverback                  North West         Isle of Man           IM1 2LA
Mailboxes                   North West         Stockport             SK1 1LE
Printel                     North West         Widnes                WA3 8LG
ER Design & Print           North West         Alsager               CW2 5PR
Impact Advertising          North West         Timperley             WA15 7SP
Masterprint                 North West         St Helens             WA10 1DH
Copycat                     North West         Maghull               L31 2HB
Alert 2 Media               North West         Manchester            M1 1DZ
Print Hub Design            North West         Bolton                BL1 3QJ
Bradbury Graphics           Northern Ireland   Belfast               BT7 1BS
Xpress Creative             Northern Ireland   Newtonabbey           BT36 4PU
Mooney Media                Northern Ireland   County Down           BT32 4QD
Edinburgh Store             Scotland           Edinburgh             EH3 6QY
Edinburgh Store             Scotland           Edinburgh             EH3 9LY
Glasgow Store               Scotland           Glasgow               G3 8LZ
Color Co. - Edinburgh       Scotland           Edinburgh             EH2 2PA
Glasgow Print               Scotland           North Glasgow         G64 1RX
Hamilton (662c)             Scotland           Hamilton              ML3 7AR
Ashford Store               South East         Ashford               TN24 8UU
TRS Graphics                South East         Croydon               CR2 6EB
Felix Communications        South East         Rochester             ME2 4HZ
Studio Direct               South East         Chelmsford            CM2 6HE
Lussh Creative              South East         Chesterfield          S40 2BY
Inprint                     South East         Colchester            CO1 1PB
Haus of Print               South West         Andover               SP11 6RU
Bristol Store               South West         Bristol               BS1 3LZ
Plymouth Store              South West         Plymouth              PL4 0AU
Bournemouth                 South West         Bournemouth           DT1 1HS
Anneset                     South West         Weston-Super-Mare     BS23 3DE
Presto Print                South West         Christchurch          BH23 1QD
Malthouse                   South West         Taunton               TA1 3EP
Wessex Direct               South West         Minehead              TA24 5UB
Print Creative              South West         Bath                  BA1 2JB
Printing South West         South West         Totnes                TQ9 5DW
Australian Welsh            Wales              Cardiff               CF14 3JP




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