Interest in Shares

Coats PLC
19 November 2001

                                  Coats plc

                     Interest in the shares in Coats plc

On 4th November 1999, Coats plc ('Coats'), was advised that a group of
shareholders, including the interests of RIT Capital Partners plc and Finance
and Trading Ltd, had become party to an agreement under Section 204 of the
Companies Act 1985.

Coats have now been informed by RIT Capital Partners plc and Finance and
Trading Limited that they no longer treat themselves as acting in concert and
that:

 1. RIT Capital Partners plc have a beneficial interest in 19,742,755 ordinary
    shares and are interested in a further 40,285,514 for the purposes of Part
    VI of the Company Act 1985. These holdings are registered as follows:

    Registered name                                             Number

    Bank of New York (Nominees) Ltd                         39,485,514

    HSBC Global Custody Nominees (UK) Limited A/C 897467    19,742,755

    Royal Bank of Canada Trustees and                          800,000
    Blomfield Trustees (Jersey) Limited

 2. Finance and Trading Limited has a beneficial interest in 60,992,868
    ordinary shares, the registered owner of which is Citiclient Nominees No.
    1 Limited.

The current issued ordinary share capital of Coats plc is 705,360,873 ordinary
shares.

Enquiries
Jonathan Lea, Finance Director, Coats plc             020 8210 5000
Patrick Handley, Brunswick Group                      020 7404 5959