RNS No 3416n
ACORN GROUP PLC

                    DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS

1)  NAME OF COMPANY

    ACORN GROUP PLC

2)  NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

    MERRILL LYNCH GROUP INC AND MERCURY ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP LTD TOGETHER WITH
    ASSOCIATED HOLDING COMPANIES SPECIFIED IN THE MERRILL LYNCH LETTER DATED
    26.2.99 (COPY BELOW)

3)  Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding
    of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
    interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
    person's spouse or children under the age of 18

    SEE COPY LETTER BELOW

4)  Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of
    shares held by each of them.

    SEE 2 ABOVE

5)  Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

    NOT NOTIFIED

6)  ( N/A %) of issued Class

    NOT NOTIFIED

7)  Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

    NOT NOTIFIED

8)  ( N/A %) of issued Class
    
    NOT NOTIFIED

9)  Class of security

    10p ORDINARY

10) Date of transaction

     
    NOT NOTIFIED

11) Date company informed

    1.3.99

12) Total holding following this notification

    SEE FIRST AND SECOND ATTACHMENTS TO MERRILL LYNCH LETTER DATED 26.2.99

13) Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

    SEE 12

14) Any additional information

    -

15) Name of contact and telephone number for queries

    RICHARD CONWAY
    01223 725000

16) Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making
    this notification

    Date of Notification..1 MARCH 1999..........



LETTER TO:  ACORN GROUP PLC                  

COMPANIES ACT 1985 ss 198-202 (AS AMENDED)

We understand that Mercury Asset Management Ltd ('MAM') has disclosed their
interest to you with regard to a change of circumstances affecting their
Interest under the above legislation.  As this represented the MAM position only
and not the combined Merrill Lynch/MAM position, we enclose further information
which shows the combined position, and this id set out as follows:

a) the companies the names and addresses of which are set out in the first part
of the Schedule to this letter (being certain holding companies of MAM), have
the interests in relevant share capital of your company disclosed in the first
attachment to this letter.

b) the companies the names and addresses of which are set out in the second part
   of the Schedule to this letter, which are holding companies of MAM and of
   certain other companies, have the interests in relevant share capital of your
   company disclosed in the first attachment ot this letter and the additional
   interest (if any) disclosed in the second attachment to this letter.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

If you have any queries regarding the contents of this letter, please contact
Linda Blatt on 0171-772-1040, Facsimile 0171-772-1174.

LETTER FROM:  MERRILL LYNCH & CO. INC.


                           SCHEDULE

                            Part 1

Name                          Address

Mercury Asset                 33 King William Street 
Management Group Ltd.         London EC4R 9AS

ML Invest plc                 25 Ropemaker Street
                              London EC2Y 9LY

ML Invest Holdings Limited    25 Ropemaker Street
                              London EC2Y 9LY

ML Invest, Inc                World Financial Center
                              North Tower
                              250 Vesey Street
                              New York
                              NY 10281-1332


                              Part 2
      
Merrill Lynch Group Inc.      World Financial Center
                              North Tower
                              250 Vesey Street
                              New York
                              NY 10281-1332

Merrill Lynch & Co.Inc.       World Financial Center
                              North Tower
                              250 Vesey Street
                              New York
                              NY 10281-1332


FIRST ATTACHMENT

Company Name:     Acorn Group plc                 Date:  24 February 1999

Class of Shares:  10p Ordinary Shares

Total Interest held by Mercury Asset Management Ltd.  9,190,859    (9.92%)

Made up as follows:

Registered Holder             Number of       Investment         Beneficial
(if known)                    Shares          Managent           Interests
                                              Company (if        (Yes/No)
                                              separately
                                              disclosable)

Nutraco Nominees Ltd          5,266,164                               No
(Designated & Undesignated)

Mercury Life Nominees Ltd       160,000                               Yes
A/C NONCERT         

Nortrust Nominees Ltd           269,299                               No

Chase Nominees Ltd            2,105,000                               No

State Street Nominees Ltd     1,089,300                               No

MSS Nominees Ltd                301,096                               No

TOTAL                         9,190,859


SECOND ATTACHMENT

Company:  Acorn Group plc                         as of: February 24, 1999

Class of Shares:  10p Ordinary

Each company named below is interested in the aggregate number of the shares
identified above set opposite its name.  Where the number includes shares
additional to those shown in the first attachment to the accompanying letter,
certain further details are also set out below.

                                   Requisite details in respect of shares
                                   additional to those shown in the
                                   first attachment

               Aggregate number     Number and (if known)   Interest within 
               of shares            registered holder       section 208 (5) 
Company        interested in                                Companies Act 1985?

Merrill Lynch     9,303,359                 112500                  - 
& Co.Inc.

Merrill Lynch     9,190,859                   -                     -
Group, Inc.

END


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