Disposal

Artisan (UK) PLC
12 February 2001

ARTISAN (UK) plc SELLS NON-CORE JOINERY OPERATION FOR
£140,000 TO FOCUS RIPPON ACQUISITION ON RESIDENTIAL
HOUSEBUILDING

Artisan (UK) plc, the AIM listed property development and construction group,
announces that it has on the evening of Friday 9 February 2001, completed the
sale of the Rippon Joinery division of E.C. Rippon Limited, the recently
acquired Mansfield, Nottinghamshire-based housebuilding company, to MEA
Corporation plc. for a total consideration of £140,000, a figure slightly in
excess of the net asset value attributable to the Rippon Joinery division.

The acquisition of E.C. Rippon Limited from Ennstone Breedon plc included the
purchase by Artisan (UK) of non-core unprofitable activity within E.C. Rippon
Limited.  The subsequent sale of Rippon Joinery business reflects the policy of
Artisan (UK) of concentrating E.C. Rippon's activities on the company's core
residential house building operations.  To further reflect this emphasis E.C.
Rippon is to be renamed Rippon Homes Limited.

The twenty five employees of the Rippon Joinery business will remain with the
operation acquired by MEA Corporation plc.  A co-operation agreement has been
established to ensure an orderly transfer of the business to MEA.

Commenting on the sale of the joinery division, Mr Stephen Dean, Chairman of
Artisan (UK) said: 'The sale of the Rippon Joinery business will enable the
management team of Rippon Homes to concentrate resources on the further
development of the company's core residential house building activities.

The success and continuing progress of the integration of the Rippon Homes
business into the Group's Artisan Developments division is due in no small
measure to the positive attitude shown by the Rippon management team'.

Enquiries:

Artisan (UK) plc                                           01480 436666
Stephen Dean, Chairman
Chris Musselle, Finance Director                    Mobile [phone]

Boswell City Financial PR Limited                           020 7583 2001
Glenda Boswell
Rodney Johnson