Pre-Close Period Statement

Wilmington Group Plc
14 July 2005



For immediate release                                             14th July 2005

                              WILMINGTON GROUP PLC

                            PRE-CLOSE PERIOD STATEMENT

Wilmington Group plc ('Wilmington' or the 'Group'), the professional information
and training group, today issues its pre-close period statement in respect of
the year to 30 June 2005.

Trading performance for the year to 30 June 2005 is anticipated to be in line
with our expectations and significantly ahead of the corresponding period ended
30 June 2004. This reflects the considerable progress that has been made during
the year towards our strategy of focusing on selected professional business
markets where we can develop a range of complementary information and training/
event activities.

We anticipate that the strongest growth in both turnover and profits will have
come from the Legal and Regulatory division where excellent progress has been
made in many areas. The information and publishing activities have continued to
benefit from the growth in e-revenues and are expected to produce excellent
levels of profitability. We were delighted that the weekly magazine 'Solicitors
Journal' has recently been voted Legal Journal of the Year. Our training
businesses are expected to have generated profits at the higher end of our
expectations with strong performances from Scotland, Ireland and the Immigration
and Asylum accreditation programme.

The major reorganisation of our Design and Construction division has been
successfully completed. The relocation of staff and creation of new management
teams has been effective. We are delighted that this division is expected to
show a return to profit in the year to 30 June 2005 after a loss in the year
ended 30 June 2004. We anticipate further progress in the year to 30 June 2006.

Elsewhere in the Group the process of investing in the launch of new products
and the ongoing development of new initiatives continues. We continue to pursue
our strategy of concentrating on our core markets and developing clusters of
complementary activities within those markets.

Outlook

The Board is encouraged by the progress made in 2005 and is confident that its
strategy of focusing on key professional business markets will result in further
progress this financial year.

It is anticipated that Wilmington will announce its preliminary results for the
year ended 30 June 2005 in mid September 2005.

For further information please contact:

Wilmington Group

Charles Brady (Chief Executive)                                    0207 422 6800
Basil Brookes (Finance Director)                                   0207 422 6800


Weber Shandwick Square Mile

Nick Oborne, Kirsty Raper or Yvonne Alexander                      0207 067 0700




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