Rule 8 - Debenhams plc

    FORM 8.1/8.3

Lodge with an RIS and Newstrack, if appropriate, and the Takeover Panel.

Use separate form for each class of securities in which dealings have been
made.

Date of disclosure 3 November 2003

               DISCLOSURE UNDER RULES 8.1(a), 8.1(b)(i) AND 8.3                

                   OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS                   

Date of dealing 31 October 2003

Dealing in (name of company)     Debenhams plc

(1) Class of securities (eg ordinary shares) Ordinary shares

(2) Amount bought           Amount sold                Price per unit          
                                                                               
640,000                                                466.25p                 
                                                                               

(3) Resultant total of the same class owned or controlled (and percentage of
class)

1.00%

3,640,000

(4) Party making disclosure Commerzbank AG

(5) EITHER (a) Name of purchaser/vendor (Note 1) Commerzbank AG

OR (b) If dealing for discretionary client(s), name of fund management
organisation

(6) Reason for disclosure (Note 2)

(a) associate of:

(i) offeror (Note 3) (please advise Yes or No) No

(ii) offeree company (please advise Yes or No) No

Specify which category or categories of associate (1-8 overleaf):

If category (8), explain:

(b) Rule 8.3 (ie disclosure because of ownership or control of 1% or more of

the class of relevant securities dealt in) (please advise Yes or No) Yes

Signed, for and on behalf of the party named in (4) above

(Also print name of signatory) Alison Rumble

Telephone and extension number 020 7469 3268

                    ______________________________________                     

Note 1. Specify owner, not nominee or vehicle company. If relevant, also
identify controller of owner, eg where an owner normally acts on instructions
of a controller.

Note 2. Disclosure might be made for more than one reason; if so, state all
reasons.

Note 3. Specify which offeror if there is more than one.

Note 4. When an arrangement exists with any offeror, with the offeree company
or with an associate of any offeror or of the offeree company in relation to
relevant securities, details of such arrangement must be disclosed, as required
by Note 6 on Rule 8.

Note 5. It may be necessary, particularly when disclosing derivative
transactions, to append a sheet to this disclosure form so that all relevant
information can be given.

Note 6. In the case of an average price bargain, each underlying trade should
be disclosed.

For full details of disclosure requirements, see Rule 8 of the Code. If in
doubt, contact the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, Monitoring Section, Tel. No:
020 7638 0129.

DEFINITION OF ASSOCIATE

It is not practicable to define associate in terms which would cover all the
different relationships which may exist in an offer. The term associate is
intended to cover all persons (whether or not acting in concert) who directly
or indirectly own or deal in the shares of an offeror or the offeree company in
an offer and who have (in addition to their normal interests as shareholders)
an interest or potential interest, whether commercial, financial or personal,
in the outcome of the offer.

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the term associate will
normally include the following:-

(1) an offeror's or the offeree company's parent, subsidiaries and fellow
subsidiaries, and their associated companies, and companies of which such
companies are associated companies (for this purpose ownership or control of
20% or more of the equity share capital of a company is regarded as the test of
associated company status);

(2) banks and financial and other professional advisers (including
stockbrokers)* to an offeror, the offeree company or any company covered in
(1), including persons controlling#, controlled by or under the same control as
such banks, financial and other professional advisers;

(3) the directors (together with their close relatives and related trusts) of
an offeror, the offeree company or any company covered in (1);

(4) the pension funds of an offeror, the offeree company or any company covered
in (1);

(5) any investment company, unit trust or other person whose investments an
associate manages on a discretionary basis, in respect of the relevant
investment accounts;

(6) a person who owns or controls 5% or more of any class of relevant
securities (as defined in paragraphs (a) to (d) in Note 2 on Rule 8) issued by
an offeror or an offeree company, including a person who as a result of any
transaction owns or controls 5% or more. When two or more persons act pursuant
to an agreement or understanding (formal or informal) to acquire or control
such securities, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of
this paragraph. Such securities managed on a discretionary basis by an
investment management group will, unless otherwise agreed by the Panel, also be
deemed to be those of a single person (see Note 8 on Rule 8); and

(7) a company having a material trading arrangement with an offeror or the
offeree company.

Paragraphs (1)-(7) are typical cases. Paragraph (8) below is a category to
cover associate status not within (1)-(7).

(8) Other.

Notes

* References to a "bank" do not apply to a bank whose sole relationship with a
party to an offer is the provision of normal commercial banking services or
such activities in connection with the offer as confirming that cash is
available, handling acceptances and other registration work.

References to "financial and other professional advisers (including
stockbrokers)", in relation to a party to an offer, do not include an
organisation which has stood down, because of a conflict of interest or
otherwise, from acting for that party in connection with the offer if the
organisation is to have a continuing involvement with that party during the
offer, the Panel must be consulted. Unless the Panel is satisfied that the
involvement is entirely unconnected with the offer, the above exclusion will
not normally apply.

# The normal test for whether a person is controlled by, controls or is under
the same control as another person will be by reference to the definition of
control contained in the Code. There may be other circumstances which the Panel
will regard as giving rise to such a relationship (eg where a majority of the
equity share capital is owned by another person who does not have a majority of
the voting rights); in cases of doubt, the Panel should be consulted.



END