Director Shareholding

Helical Bar PLC
18 December 2000


                      NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF
                     DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS

HELICAL BAR PLC

On 18th December 2000, Mr Michael Slade, Mr Nigel McNair Scott, Mr Gerald Kaye
and Mr Michael Brown, all directors of Helical Bar plc, were granted options,
for no consideration, over ordinary 5p shares of the company under the rules of
the Helical Bar 1999 Share Option Scheme.

The options granted to the directors were as follows:

Options to purchase shares from the Helical Bar Employees Share Ownership Plan
Trust

          Mr Michael Slade              148,000
          Mr Nigel McNair Scott          72,000
          Mr Gerald Kaye                127,000
          Mr Michael Brown              106,000

The exercise price for all these options is 750.0p

The options granted are exercisable in the period between 18 December
2005 and 17 December 2010.

Following the grant of these options, the directors hold options and
interests in the ord share capital of the company as follows:

                            Ordinary       Percentage of   Total Share
                            5p Shares       Issued Share    Options
                               Held           Capital

Mr Michael Slade             3,014,019          10.08       1,448,000
Mr Nigel McNair Scott         625,698            2.09         657,000
Mr Gerald Kaye                273,296            0.91         577,000
Mr Michael Brown              150,632            0.50         606,000

Contact:                 N G McNair Scott  020 7629 0113
Date of Notification:    18 December 2000