Holding in Company

Colefax Group PLC
24 August 2000


Letter to Colefax Group Plc dated 23 August 2000

NOTIFICATION OF INTEREST

In accordance with the provisions of Sections 198-202 of the Companies Act 1985,
we give notice that as a result of a purchase of 50,000 ordinary shares of 10p
each in the relevant share capital of your company ('Shares') on 23 August 2000,
the following client of Friends Ivory & Sime Plc has a material interest in the
Shares shown below:

No. of Shares                    %
2,490,000                      10.14

Name of Client       No. of Shares          %       Name of Registered Holder

Discovery Trust plc    2,430,000         9.89       Direct Nominees Ltd

This notification supersedes all previous notifications given by members of the
Friends Provident Group in relation to Shares for this client.


Letter from Friends Ivory & Sime plc