Press Release 87 Subject: SOBS want to raise money through auctioning verylastsecond.com on the day of the flotation of lastminute.com [to potential competitors] Date:2.3.00

Lastminute.com is being floated on London stock exchange on 14.3.00 Storyline: SOBS auction the domain site name verylastsecond.com to potential competitors of lastminute.com Key point:

I have come to think that .com sites may be vulnerable to being outflanked when the name denotes the ‘style’ of service offered. Therefore: Why lastminute.com it? when you can verylastsecond.com it!

Note to the Editor 1 lastminute.com which may float on the stock exchange for an estimated £400 million. Investors include venture capital firm Arts Alliance Advisers, BAA, France Telecom, Deutsches Telekom, Sony Music Entertainment and Intel. Because of the urgent need to raise funds for our campaign SOBS have registered the domain name verylastsecond.com. Note to buyer A buyer might for example wish to consider setting up a rival business to lastminute.com. verylastsecond.com is available to the highest bidder who will be supporting the SOBS campaign at the same time. Why buy verylastsecond.com? I learnt at school that if you wish to compete with another business often the best place to set up is right next door. Perhaps the equivalent in the world of .coms is to think of a name that outsells/outflanks the name of your rival. Hence why lastminute.com it? when you can verylastsecond.com it! Interested parties should contact SOBS co-ordinator Bob Goodall on 01727 847 370

Note to the Editor 2 There may be others thinking along the same lines: very-last-minute.com is owned by World Internet Group, 33 St James Square London SWIY 4JS, tel 0171 930 0202, hostmaster@fortune-cookie.com, registered 17.1.00 Even verylastsecond.co.uk was registered by a GK Harrison on 13.2.00 ( I had already registered the .com name.) For all I know the owners of the above sites may already have been in touch with lastminute.com? There does seem to have been unexplained delays in floating the site and a lot of secrecy is surrounding it. In the Sunday Business one of the founders of lastminute.com ‘told’ potential rivals to his business that it was not worth bothering even to start up. (perhaps they are worried about other start-ups?) Other domain sites are registered. verylastminute.com in the USA -Cystech Systems- tel (Raleigh, North Carolina) 919 719 2010. lastsecond.com Germany, tel (Munich) 216 475 7600 -But of all the names mentioned I believe verylastsecond.com is the snaziest and in marketing terms potentially the strongest brand. Bob Goodall co-ordinator “Save Our Building Societies” campaign tel 01727 847 370(24hrs)

FAO Sir Richard Branson 22.2.00 fax & post Dear Sir Richard Branson Re lastminute.com Would you like to purchase verylastsecond.com? I am sure you have been following the story of lastminute.com which may float on the stock exchange for an estimated £400 million. I have come to think that .com sites may be vulnerable to being outflanked when the name denotes the ‘style’ of service offered. Because of the urgent need to raise funds for our campaign I have registered the domain name verylastsecond.com. I am writing to ask you whether you might wish to purchase this site name. You might for example wish to consider setting up a rival business to lastminute .com. An opportune time to announce such as thing might be the morning of the floation of lastminute.com

Clarification Re: Press Release 87. date 2.3.00 (I thought) that the representative of lastminute.com who I spoke to today clearly stated that their shares had being trading from 8am this morning at between 190p-230p. The London Stock Exchange has said that they have not yet floated and other sources say this is due for later in March. Competitors wishing to purchase verylastsecond.com are welcome to contact me from today onwards. Bob Goodall co-ordinator “Save Our Building Societies” campaign tel 01727 847 370 (24hrs) pager 04325 592 741