Director Shareholding

Next PLC
01 April 2003

Next plc

Next ESOP Trust

On 1 April 2003 the Next ESOP Trust disposed of 7,969 Ordinary Shares of 10p
each in Next plc to satisfy share options exercised by employees of the Company.

Executive Directors of Next plc who are participants in the Company share option
schemes are deemed to be discretionary beneficiaries of the Trust and are
consequently considered to be interested in all of the shares held by the Trust
which amount to 7,317,031.

Directors

The Company was notified today that Mr D W Keens and Mr C E Angelides have
exercised nil cost options granted to them under the Company's Performance Share
Plan to purchase and retain Ordinary Shares of 10p each in Next plc as follows:

Name                              Date of Exercise             No. of Shares

David Wilson Keens                 31 March 2003               19,845

Christos Emilios Angelides         31 March 2003               15,138


Mr W Barnes
Company Secretary
Next plc


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