Holding in Company

Allen PLC
28 September 2000


LETTER TO ALLEN PLC
27 September 2000

Part VI Companies Act 1985

We hereby notify you in accordance with Part VI Companies Act 1985 ('the Act')
that HSBC Investment Bank plc was as at close of business on 25 September 2000
interested in 1,400,000 ordinary shares of Allen plc ('the Shares').

We further notify you that as at close of business on 26 September 2000 HSBC
Investment Bank plc no longer had a notifiable interest in the Shares.

HSBC Investment Bank Holdings plc as HSBC Investment Bank plc's parent and HSBC
Holdings plc, our ultimate parent company, were also interested, and are no
longer interested by virtue of S.203 of the Act in all of the above mentioned
Shares.

From:  David Cooper (Head of Securities Compliance (HSBC))