Further re Offer for Newbury

Guinness Peat Group PLC 17 January 2008 Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in, into or from the US, Canada or Australia or any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction. GPG Acquisitions No. 5 Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Guinness Peat Group plc) FURTHER RE: CASH OFFER FOR NEWBURY RACECOURSE PLC 17 January 2008 GPG Acquisitions notes the second defence circular, posted on 15 January 2008 by Newbury Racecourse. The new information published therein succeeds only in emphasizing the attractions for Shareholders of GPG's Offer. In particular: 1. Although not highlighted, the circular discloses current independent valuations of Newbury Racecourse's property and business assets and the taxation payable on disposal of its surplus land assuming there were no rollover relief on future reinvestment. On this basis Newbury Racecourse's current pro forma net asset value is £10.55 per Share, some 4 per cent. less than GPG's premium Offer of £11 per Share. 2. The Newbury Board's proposed 10 year property development project, when compared to the alternative of seeking planning consent and then disposing of its surplus land would, even on its own optimistic assumptions, only produce an extra 43 pence per Share, or a very marginal 3.3 per cent. increase. This pales into insignificance when weighed against the risks involved in exposing Newbury Racecourse to the vagaries of the property market for an extended period and diversifying into a new area of operation in which its relevant management experience is meagre. 3. Shareholders should note that, notwithstanding the Newbury Board's rhetoric about the Company's "potential", it remains the case that it has been unable to confirm that the project will produce net returns to Newbury Racecourse, in today's monetary terms, in excess of GPG's criterion of £7 per Share. 4. From the Newbury Board's somewhat evasive comments about current trading, Shareholders can only conclude that for 2007 it will report its fifth consecutive year of operating losses. GPG is more convinced than ever that its premium Offer of £11 cash per Newbury Racecourse Share provides an attractive alternative to the dubious economics and significant long term risks associated with the Newbury Board's 10 year development project. Blake Nixon, Chairman of GPG Acquisitions, said: "The £12.84 net asset value per Share put on Newbury in the Company's circular is based on questionable assumptions in respect of future planning consents and the taxation consequences of a disposal. Taking a less rose-tinted view and making a more realistic adjustment for the existing tax position produces a figure of £10.55 per Share, a discount to the GPG Offer. Far from offering Shareholders any reassurance, the latest document from Newbury serves only to further undermine confidence in the Newbury Board's ability properly to address the issue of Shareholder value." ENQUIRIES GPG Acquisitions No. 5 Limited Tel: (020) 7484 3370 Blake Nixon, Director Strand Partners Limited Tel: (020) 7409 3494 Simon Raggett Citigate Dewe Rogerson Tel: (020) 7638 9571 Kevin Smith OTHER INFORMATION Terms defined in the document posted to Shareholders on 7 December 2007 containing the formal Offer for Newbury Racecourse have the same meaning in this announcement. Copies of the Offer Document, the further circular and the Form of Acceptance remain available (during normal business hours) from Strand Partners at 26 Mount Row, London W1K 3SQ and from the offices of Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 7NH throughout the period during which the Offer remains open for acceptance. Strand Partners, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for GPG Acquisitions and no one else in connection with the Offer and Strand Partners will not regard any other person as a client in relation to the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than GPG Acquisitions for providing the protections afforded exclusively to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Offer, the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement referred to herein. The availability of the Offer to persons not resident in and citizens of the United Kingdom may be affected by laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are citizens or in which they are resident. Such Overseas Shareholders should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable legal or regulatory requirements of any such relevant jurisdiction. In particular, the Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in, into or from or by the use of the mails of or any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, by means of facsimile transmission, telex, telephone, internet or other forms of electronic communication) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or by any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of, the United States, or in, into or from Canada or Australia or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction, and the Offer will not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from or within the United States, Canada or Australia or any other jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a breach of any relevant securities laws of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and the Offer Document are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in or into or from the United States, Canada or Australia. This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer to sell or purchase or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of an offer to sell, purchase or subscribe for any securities, pursuant to the Offer or otherwise. The Offer will be made solely by way of the Offer Document and the related Form of Acceptance, contain the full terms and conditions of the Offer. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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