Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
31 March 2005


DIRECTORS' INTERESTS


The independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust
notified the Company on 29 March 2005 that it had between 21 March 2005 and 24
March 2005 released a total of 836,218 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p
ordinary shares (the Shares") to satisfy awards made under the Company's Long
Term Incentive Plan and the exercise of options under the Company's share option
scheme.


The participants to whom Shares were released are not directors of British
American Tobacco p.l.c.


Following these transactions, the independent trustee of the British American
Tobacco Group Employee Trust holds a total of 24,081,755 Shares.  The following
executive directors, together with other employees, are potential beneficiaries
and are therefore treated as having an interest: Mr P N Adams, Mr A Monteiro de
Castro and Mr P A Rayner.



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