Acquisition

SECURE TRUST BANKING GROUP PLC
13 July 1999

                        SECURE TRUST BANKING GROUP PLC
                                       
                     EXPANSION OF PRIVATE BANKING DIVISION
                                       
                                  Key Points

  *  Secure Trust, the banking and financial services group, announces an
     expansion of its private banking division, Arbuthnot Latham, which  is
     acquiring Weinel & Partners Limited, an investment manager and           
     independent financial adviser based in the City of London.

  *  The activities of Weinel & Partners comprise discretionary investment
     management, pensions and financial planning and general insurance        
     broking. It serves private clients, companies, trustees and other        
     professional adviser such as lawyers and accountants.

  *  The acquisition of Weinel fits Secure Trust's stated strategy of growing
     Arbuthnot Latham through both acquisition and organic development.

  *  Weinel  will add a further £25 million to the group's  funds  under
     management and will increase the presence of Arbuthnot Pensions &        
     Investments in London.  Arbuthnot Pensions & Investments also has offices
     in Henley and Exeter.

  *  Weinel's founders and senior managers will remain with the business
     following the acquisition.


Commenting on the acquisition, Henry Angest, Chairman of Secure Trust, said:

'This  acquisition  is  an important step forward in  developing  our  private
banking  services. Weinel is an extremely well run business  whose  management
shares  the same service-orientated culture as we operate at Arbuthnot Latham.
I  am  sure  the  acquisition  will benefit the  clients  and  staff  of  both
organisations.'


Enquiries:

Secure Trust Banking Group PLC  Stephen Lockley, Finance Director  
Tel: [phone]

Biddick Associates Ltd          Katie Tzouliadis                   
Tel: [phone]

                                                                      
ACQUISITION OF WEINEL & PARTNERS

Introduction

Secure Trust Banking Group PLC ('Secure Trust') announces that on 12 July 1999
it  entered  into an agreement to acquire the entire issued share  capital  of
Weinel  &  Partners  Limited  ('Weinel') for an initial  consideration  of  £1
million.  Further consideration will becomepayable dependent  on  the  future
profitability of Weinel. The maximum aggregate consideration payable by Secure
Trust for Weinel is £3 million.

Information on Weinel

Weinel  was  formed in 1990 and is a financial services group serving  private
individuals,  companies,  trustees and other  professional  advisers  such  as
lawyers and accountants.

The Weinel group consists of three businesses:-

(i)    Investment Management.
       Weinel has approximately £25 million of funds under discretionary
       management, principally for private clients. The funds under           
       management include share portfolios, unit trust portfolios and general 
       and single company PEP's.

(ii)   Pensions and Financial Planning.
       Weinel  advises private clients and companies on pensions, investments,
       life assurance and general financial planning matters.  It arranges
       pension plans, mortgages and insurance policies.

(iii)  General Insurance Broking.
       Weinel arranges general insurance cover for both commercial and        
       personal lines.

Reasons for the Acquisition

Over recent years, Secure Trust has established its private and merchant
banking  division under the Arbuthnot Latham name. The division now offers a
full range of banking, investment, financial advisory and insurance  services
to private clients, professional firms, owner-managed companies, charities and
pension schemes.

The activities of Weinel fit well with those of Arbuthnot Latham and, in
addition to bringing new clients and skilled staff to  the  group, it will
provide a significant  increase in the presence of Arbuthnot Pensions and
Investments in London.

The Acquisition

Secure Trust will acquire the whole of the issued share capital of Weinel  for
an initial consideration of £1 million. There will be a further payment to the
vendors payable after the completion of the audit of the accounts for the year
ended  31  December 1999. The amount of this further payment will be equal  to
5.54  times the adjusted profits before tax of Weinel for the year to 31
December 1999 minus £1 million. The second payment will not exceed £2 million.

The initial consideration will be satisfied by the payment of £0.5 million in
cash and £0.5 million in redeemable loan notes. The consideration for the
second payment will be satisfied at the election of Secure Trust either by the
issue of further redeemable loan notes or by  the issue of Secure Trust
ordinary shares.