Interest in Shares

RNS Number:0676L
Ashley (Laura) Hldgs PLC
14 May 2003



LAURA ASHLEY HOLDINGS plc



Laura Ashley Holdings plc ("the Company") has been advised today that following
the completion of the Rights Issue, Bonham Industries Limited ("Bonham") is
deemed to have an interest in 181,445,822 ordinary shares of #0.05 each
representing 24.32% of the Company's issued share capital following the
acquisition by it of a total of 109,088,955 ordinary shares (14.62% of the
Company's issued share capital) under the Rights Issue at #0.06 per share. Of
these 109,088,955 ordinary shares, 18,089,216 ordinary shares represented
Bonham's Rights taken up by it under the Rights Issue and the balance of
90,999,739 were acquired through the underwriting of the issue both directly as
an underwriter and indirectly as a placee from The Bank of East Asia, Limited
which also acted as an underwriter.


The shareholding represents the interest of Company Chairman Dr Khoo Kay Peng.



Enquiries:

Tom Buchanan              Brunswick               020 7404 5959



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