Whiteaway Laidlaw Bank

Home Retail Group Plc
31 January 2007

                                                                 31 January 2007


                             Home Retail Group plc

                       Disposal of Whiteaway Laidlaw Bank

Home Retail Group plc, the UK's leading home and general merchandise retailer,
today announces it has completed the disposal of Whiteaway Laidlaw Bank. This
Manchester-based commercial bank offers banking facilities to small businesses
and personal customers. Manchester Building Society has acquired Whiteaway
Laidlaw for cash consideration of approximately £5m, a sum which is broadly in
line with the net assets of the business being disposed.


The disposal of Whiteaway Laidlaw leaves Home Retail Group's Financial Services
business focused on its core operation of working in conjunction with Argos and
Homebase to provide their customers with the most appropriate credit offers to
drive product sales in the retail businesses.



Enquiries



Analysts and investors (Home Retail Group)

Richard Ashton             Finance Director                 01908 600 291
Stuart Ford                Head of Investor Relations


Press (Finsbury)
Rollo Head                                                  020 7251 3801
Alice Macandrew




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