Exercise of Options

ALBEMARLE & BOND HOLDINGS PLC

(the "Company")

Exercise of Options by Optionholder

The Company makes the following announcements in respect of an exercise of options today by an employee ("Employee") over 1,000 Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") granted under the Albemarle & Bond Holdings plc Company Share Option Plan, at an exercise price of 236.5p per share:

1. a transfer of shares has been approved in respect of the Ordinary Shares from Albemarle & Bond Trustee Limited (the "Trustee") as Trustee of the Albemarle & Bond Pawnbrokers Limited Employee Benefit Trust to the Employee;

2. as a result of the transfer announced above, the Trustee now holds 652,762 Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Company, equivalent to 1.17% of the Company's issued share capital; and

3. B J Stevenson and L K Moran are directors of Albemarle & Bond Trustee Limited.

Date: 22nd July 2011

Enquiries

Albemarle & Bond Holdings plc 0118 955 8100

Barry Stevenson CEO

Collins Stewart Europe Limited 020 7523 8350

Mark Dickenson

Piers Coombs

Cardew Group 020 7930 0777

Tim Robertson

Shan Shan Willenbrock

Catherine Maitland

END