Holding(s) in Company

Whitbread PLC
13 December 2006




LETTER TO:   Whitbread Plc
DATED:       12 December 2006


UK COMPANIES ACT 1985 - SECTIONS 198-203 - Whitbread Plc (the 'Company')

This notification relates to issued ordinary shares in the capital of the
Company ('shares') and is given in fulfilment of the obligations imposed by
sections 198-203 of the Companies Act 1985 (the 'Act').

We hereby notify you that as at close of business on 11 December 2006, The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ('GS Inc') of 85 Broad Street, New York, NY
10004, USA, was interested, by attribution only, in a total 12,705,479 shares.

Of these 12,705,479 shares:

•    The interest in 8,104,481 shares arose from a beneficial interest held by
Goldman Sachs International, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of GS Inc. These
shares are, or will be, registered in CREST in account CREPTEMP.

•     The interest in 4,600,998 shares arose from an interest held by Goldman
Sachs & Co., a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of GS Inc, acting as custodian for
its customers.  These shares are, or will be, registered in the name of Goldman
Sachs Securities (Nominees), Limited.


LETTER FROM:  Peter Highton
              for and on behalf of 
              The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.






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