RNS Number:2084L
BIL International Limited
16 May 2003

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE
UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN

BIL International Limited

16 May 2003



                      RECOMMENDED UNCONDITIONAL INCREASED

                          AND FINAL CASH OFFER BY HSBC

                         ON BEHALF OF BIL (UK) LIMITED

                             FOR THISTLE HOTELS PLC



                      POSTING OF INCREASED OFFER DOCUMENT

                            TO THISTLE SHAREHOLDERS



BIL (UK) announces that the Increased Offer Document containing details of the
recommended unconditional increased and final cash offer for Thistle, made on
its behalf by HSBC, is being posted to Thistle Shareholders today.

As at 3.00 p.m. (BST) on 15 May 2003 valid acceptances under the Increased Offer
had been received in respect of a total of 127,920,509 Thistle Shares,
representing approximately 26.5 per cent. of the existing issued share capital
of Thistle. Accordingly, the BIL Group now either owns, or has received valid
acceptances in respect of, a total of 349,015,149 Thistle Shares, representing
approximately 72.4 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Thistle.

Thistle Shareholders who have not already done so are urged to accept the
Increased Offer without delay.



Enquiries:
BIL
Arun Amarsi                                                     +65 6228 1427

HSBC
Neil Goldie-Scot                                          +44 (0)20 7991 8888
Jan Sanders
Marcus Ayre

Brunswick
Jonathan Glass                                            +44 (0)20 7404 5959
Simon Sporborg

Unless the context otherwise requires, defined terms shall have the meanings
given to them in the Increased Offer Document.

The above percentage calculations are based on Thistle having an existing issued
share capital of 482,382,087 Thistle Shares (which has been sourced from
Companies House as at 28 April 2003).

This announcement has been issued by HSBC, which is regulated in the UK by the
Financial Services Authority, and which is acting as financial adviser to BIL
and BIL (UK) and no one else in connection with the Increased Offer and the
matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone
other than to BIL and BIL (UK) for providing the protections afforded to
customers of HSBC, nor for providing advice in relation to the Increased Offer
or any other matters described in this announcement.

Unless BIL (UK) otherwise determines, the Increased Offer is not being made,
directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan
or by use of the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or
foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national securities exchange of any of
those jurisdictions and the Increased Offer should not be accepted by any such
use, means, instrumentality or facility or from within the United States,
Canada, Australia or Japan. This includes, but is not limited to, the post,
facsimile transmissions, telex, telephone, e-mail and the internet. Accordingly,
copies of this announcement and any related documents are not being sent and
must not be mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in, into or from the United
States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Persons receiving such documents (including,
without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) should not distribute or
send them in, into or from the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or use
the United States, Canadian, Australian or Japanese mails or any such means,
instrumentality or facility for any purpose, directly or indirectly, in
connection with the Increased Offer. Doing so may invalidate any related
purported acceptance of the Increased Offer.

The directors of BIL and BIL (UK) accept responsibility for the information
contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the
directors of BIL and BIL (UK) (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that
such is the case), the information contained in this announcement is in
accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import
of such information.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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