Acquisition

Creston PLC
06 September 2004

Creston Plc

Acquisition of CML Research for £7.8million

Creston Plc ("Creston" or the "Group"), the marketing services group, is pleased
to announce the acquisition of CML Research ("CML") for a maximum consideration
of £7.8 million.  CML, which is based in London, is one of Britain's leading
qualitative market research companies.  The acquisition is the fifth made by
Creston to date and is in line with its strategy of building a diversified
international marketing services group through a combination of organic growth
and selective acquisitions.

CML was formed in 1988 as a qualitative research specialist.  CML's core
expertise is product, brand and communications development.  CML's clients
include Vodafone, Audi, Clarks, Arla, Thomas Cook, Microsoft, The Economist, BBC
and Interbrew together with some of Britain's leading advertising agencies.

The maximum consideration payable is up to £7.78 million to be satisfied by:

-       an initial consideration of £4.765 million, to be satisfied by a payment
        of £2.9 million in cash and the issue of  1,349,549 new ordinary shares; 
        and

-       a deferred consideration of up to £3 million dependent on the financial
        performance of CML in the period to 31 March 2008.

In the year to 30 April 2004, CML had revenues of £2.5 million and net assets of
£730,871 at 30 April 2004.    Prior to any costs relating to the partners,
including salary costs, the profit attributable to the partners was £1.15
million in the year to 30 April 2004.  The costs and expenses of the partners
including salary are estimated to have been £670,000.  Under the terms of the
agreement with Creston it is expected that CML will contribute in excess of
£450,000 to Group operating profit in the year to 31 March 2005.

Application will be made to the UK Listing Authority for 1,349,549 new ordinary
shares of 10 pence each in the capital of Creston to be admitted to the Official
List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's
market for listed securities.   It is expected that admission will take place
and dealings will commence in such new ordinary shares on 10 September 2004.

Don Elgie, Chief Executive of Creston Plc said:

"CML is one of the UK's leading independent qualitative market research
companies.  It is highly profitable and has a consistent growth record and a
high level of repeat business.  I'm very proud they have agreed to join the
Creston Group.  In line with our stated strategy, we expect this acquisition to
be earnings enhancing in its first full year within the Creston Group."

Jeremy Martin and Grant Litchfield, the two partners of CML, are committed to
the future of the company.  Jeremy Martin said:

"We chose Creston because we wanted to continue to run our business in the way
that has made us successful.  Creston has agreed to a high level of independence
which, together with investment, should enable us to enhance our service and
grow our client base."

Enquiries to:

Don Elgie             Creston Plc   020 7930 9757
Jeremy Martin          CML          020 7937 9982
Emma Kane/James White    Redleaf PR    020 7955 1410

Notes to Editors:

About Creston Plc

Creston's strategy is to build a diversified international marketing services
group through a combination of organic growth and selective acquisitions. The
Board believes that it can identify synergistic benefits between currently
independent marketing services companies offering premium services such as
market research, direct marketing, customer relationship marketing and other
areas of marketing communications. The Board's objective is that each element of
the Group will reflect the continued trend away from mass marketing towards
one-to-one marketing between clients and customers.

Following its repositioning in January 2001 as a marketing services group,
Creston has made four significant acquisitions, which have each demonstrated
growth despite difficult market conditions:

•         the acquisition in January 2001 of Marketing Sciences Limited, an
international quantitative and qualitative market research company, based in
Winchester;

•         the acquisition in November 2001 of The Real Adventure Marketing
Communications Limited, a national marketing communications company, based in
Bath;

•         the acquisition in November 2002 of EMO Group Limited, a national
channel marketing communications company, based in Swindon and Bristol; and

•         the acquisition in October 2003 of Nelson Bostock Communications
Limited, a London based public relations agency founded in 1987, which ranks as
the 15th largest UK agency and 10th largest agency in the technology sector in
recent industry league tables.





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