Explanatory Circular

Guinness Peat Group PLC 26 March 2008 EXPLANATORY CIRCULAR Guinness Peat Group plc ("the Company") has today released to the Document Viewing Facility ("DVF") a copy of a circular dated 25 March 2008 ("the Circular "). The Circular will be posted to shareholders on or by 11 April 2008 together with the Company's Report & Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2007 (" Annual Report") which contains a copy of the Notice of the Company's Annual General Meeting to be held on 13 May 2008 ("AGM"). A copy of the Annual Report was released to the DVF on 25 March 2008. Copies of both these documents may also be accessed on the Company's website at www.gpgplc.com. The Circular deals with resolutions to be put to the AGM as well as providing further and better particulars relating to the payment of the interim cash dividend ("the Cash Dividend") already declared, the Scrip Dividend Alternative in lieu of the Cash Dividend, and the proposed 2008 Capitalisation Issue. It should be noted that the Currency Option referred to in the Company's Preliminary Report issued on 28 February 2008 (under which shareholders have in the past been able to elect for payment of their entire Cash Dividend in either pounds Sterling, Australian or New Zealand dollars) has been withdrawn. This results from a significant increase in the complexity of administering such election arising from the provisions of the UK Companies Act 2006, and consequent increased expense, compared with the historic negligible take-up of this option. Queries should be referred to the Company's Registrars as follows: UK: Computershare - Tel: 0870 707 1022 Australia: Registries Limited - Tel: 0061 2 9290 9600 New Zealand: Computershare - Tel: 0064 9 488 8777 or to the Company Secretary, Richard Russell whose telephone number in London is (0044)20 7484 3370. J R Russell Company Secretary Guinness Peat Group plc +44 207 484 3370 26 March 2008 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange