RNS Number:2148M
Merchant Retail Group PLC
11 June 2003

                                                                   11 June 2003


                           MERCHANT RETAIL GROUP PLC

        (The Specialist Perfumery Retailer and Department Stores Group)

                              Director's Interests



On Tuesday 10 June 2003, four executive directors of the Company received the
second 50 per cent instalment of the ordinary shares of 10p each in the Company
("Shares") due to each of them as bonus remuneration as a result of exceeding
the maximum performance criteria laid down in the Merchant Retail Group 1999
Long Term Incentive Plan (the "LTIP"). The first 50 per cent instalment was
received in May 2002.




The majority of the shares vested under the LTIP as bonus remuneration were sold
in the market at 148.00p per share on Tuesday 10 June 2003. Accordingly, the
interests of the executive directors of the Company are as follows:


                         Shares vested     Shares sold      Holding following this        % of the
                                                                 announcement              Company
                           from LTIP

P. Newton                   448,654          448,654              3,168,317*                2.90%
C. Lamont                   249,252          249,252                153,148                 0.14%
J.P. Seigal                 373,878          373,878                566,810                 0.52%
M.J. Wadeley                134,596           94,596                53,000                  0.05%


*    Includes 300,000 shares held by Aureole Investments Limited Pension Scheme, of which Philip Newton is a
     potential beneficiary.



Merchant Retail Group plc has also been notified of the sale on Tuesday 10 June
2003 of 330,644 ordinary 10p shares at 148.00p by Reg Heath, a Non-Executive
Director.




Accordingly, the interests of Mr Heath are as follows:


                       Previous holding     Shares sold at       Holding following this   % of the Company
                                                148.00p               announcement

R.F. Heath                 830,644              330,664                 500,000                0.46%






The number of ordinary 10p shares in issue is 109,359,127.



For further information please contact:

Philip Newton (Chief Executive)                01494 894000

Brian Coleman-Smith / Amanda Sheehy            020 7398 3300
(Beattie Financial)


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