AGM Statement

Topps Tiles PLC
08 October 2002


                                   TOPPS TILES PLC

               Chairman's Statement at the Annual General Meeting
                                   8 October  2002


At today's Annual General Meeting of Topps Tiles Plc, the Chairman, Stuart
Williams will tell shareholders:

'We are pleased to announce that the upward trend for the first six weeks of the
current financial year has been maintained. Growth in like-for-like sales for
the 18 weeks to 5th October was 8.5% and overall sales growth, in the same
period, was 18.0%.  Gross margin continues to improve since our year-end
reflecting the increase of products being supplied from our own warehouse and
relationships with new suppliers.  This performance is in line with our
expectations.

Our expansion plans continue apace and since the year-end we have opened seven
new stores and a further six are planned before the end of November 2002.

This time last year we announced that Nick Ounstead was appointed Chief
Operating Officer.  Nick has made a successful transition to the role taking on
many of the day-to-day operational responsibilities of the Group and today we
are announcing, with immediate effect, his appointment to Chief Executive
Officer.  Barry Bester, our current CEO and co-founder of the business with
myself, will assume the role of Executive Chairman in order to concentrate  more
on the strategic direction of the business and the new opportunities available
to it.  Over the coming months Barry will pass responsibility for the day-to-day
running of Topps Tiles to Nick. I will assume the role of Deputy Chairman and
continue to focus on the property aspects of the business and overseas
development.

As announced at the last full year results we intend to change our accounting
period end date from the nearest Saturday to 31 May, to the nearest Saturday to
30 September.  This change will take effect in the accounting period 2002/03 and
therefore this period will report 16 months trading resulting in interim
announcements to 30 November 2002 (6 months), 29 March 2003 (4 months) and the
period end of 27 September 2003.

Against a backdrop of continued growth in the ceramic tile market and with a
robust balance sheet we remain confident about the prospects for the company. We
believe Topps Tiles is in a strong position to build on its previous success and
further enhance shareholder value.



Enquiries:

Stuart Williams, Chairman                   020 8269 1900
Ann-marie Wilkinson, Beattie Financial      020 7398 3300



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