SAR - Coats Plc

Guinness Peat Group PLC
7 June 2002


Letter to RNS


Coats plc

In accordance with the Rules Governing Substantial Acquisition of Shares, the 
following is the text of a Disclosure sent today to the Company Secretary of 
Coats plc.

'Disclosure of Interest in Shares Pursuant to Rule 3 of 
The Rules Governing Substantial Acquisition of Shares

Guinness Peat Group plc and its subsidiary companies ('the Group') hereby notify 
Coats plc ('Coats') that on 6 June 2002 it acquired 6,558,496 Coats Ordinary 20p 
shares ('Shares') following which the Group's interest in the Shares of Coats 
now amount to 157,032,728 representing 22.26% of the issued share capital.

No member of the Group is party to any agreement or arrangement relating to the 
exercise of any rights conferred by holding the Shares subject to this 
notification.'


Letter from Guinness Peat Group plc


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