BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING PLC

AGM Information • Jun 18, 2020

Notice of the Annual General Meeting

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

To be held at the registered office of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc at: 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP* On Tuesday 21 July 2020 at 12.00 noon

To Bloomsbury Shareholders

THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.

If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of the contents of this document or what action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant, fund manager or other appropriate independent financial adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

If you sell or have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares in Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, please send this document together with the accompanying documents as soon as possible to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for delivery to the purchaser or the transferee.

*ARRANGEMENTS IN LIGHT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

In light of the coronavirus pandemic and the Government's "Stay Alert Measures", please refer to the Company Secretary's letter over the page which details the changes to the format of this year's Annual General Meeting.

Letter to Shareholders

20 May 2020

Dear Shareholder

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc - Annual General Meeting

I am pleased to inform you that this year's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (the "Company") will be held at 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP on Tuesday 21 July 2020 at 12.00 noon.

Information regarding the AGM, including the information required by section 311A of the Companies Act 2006 is available from www.bloomsbury-ir.co.uk.

Coronavirus and AGM arrangements

The Company is continuing to closely monitor the evolving situation and Government advice relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

As we publish this document, the "Stay Alert Measures" issued by the UK Government remain in place. Throughout this document, references to the Stay Alert Measures include any equivalent public safety measures which may be introduced by the Government after the date of this letter and Notice of Meeting.

In light of these unprecedented circumstances, the AGM this year will be run as a closed meeting. We hope that Shareholders will understand that we are taking the following steps to protect our Shareholders, employees and the Board. At the time of writing, legislation to allow closed AGMs to be held virtually is anticipated, and we intend to avail ourselves of this option if such legislation is promulgated before our AGM.

Format and proceedings of the meeting

Assuming that the Stay Alert Measures remain in place at the date of the AGM, Shareholders will not be permitted to attend the AGM in person. In order to comply with quorum requirements under the Company's Articles of Association, two Shareholders must be present in person or by proxy at the AGM, and the Company will make arrangements to ensure that the necessary quorum is present.

The format of the meeting will be purely functional and will comprise only the formal business – there will be no corporate presentation or Q&A. All other Directors of the Company and professional advisers will not attend the AGM in person.

Shareholder participation

Given the Stay Alert Measures, any Shareholders seeking to attend the AGM will be refused entry to the meeting. However, Shareholders' votes still matter. Shareholders are strongly encouraged to participate by submitting a proxy vote in advance of the meeting and appointing the Chair of the Meeting as their proxy (rather than a named person who will not be permitted to attend the meeting).

Voting by proxy

Similarly to last year, Shareholders will not receive a form of proxy for the AGM in the post. Instead, instructions can be found in the section entitled "Explanatory Notes to the Notice" to enable Shareholders to vote electronically and how to register to do so. To register, Shareholders will need their Investor Code, which can be found on their share certificate. Shareholders may request a paper form of proxy from our Registrar, Link Asset Services. Proxy votes should be submitted as early as possible and in any event by no later than 12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020 in order to count towards the vote. As mentioned above, Shareholders are strongly encouraged to appoint the Chair of the Meeting as their proxy for this year's AGM.

Shareholder questions

Shareholders are invited to submit to the Board any questions they would otherwise have asked at the AGM ahead of the meeting by email to: AGM2020@bloomsbury.com, marked for the attention of the Company Secretary.

Communication of changes

The situation is constantly evolving, and it may become necessary to change the arrangements for this year's AGM after the date of this letter, in particular, if the anticipated legislation to enable closed AGMs to be held virtually comes into effect. The Company will provide any appropriate updates in relation to the AGM via its investor relations website (www.bloomsbury-ir.com) and the Regulatory News Service.

Resolutions

This document provides details of the resolutions to be voted upon at the AGM and includes the formal notice convening the AGM. You will also find notes in the section entitled "Explanatory Notes to the Resolutions" relating to the resolutions that you will be asked to consider and vote on at the AGM. Resolutions 1 to 13 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 14 to 17 will be proposed as special resolutions.

If you have elected to receive information from the Company in hard copy, you will have received the Annual Report and Accounts 2020 with this document. Shareholders who have not elected to receive hard copy documents can view or download the Annual Report and Accounts 2020 and this Notice from our website at www.bloomsbury-ir.co.uk.

Recommendation

The Directors consider that all the resolutions that are to be considered at the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole and are most likely to promote the success of the Company for the benefit of Shareholders as a whole. The Directors unanimously recommend that you vote in favour of all the proposed resolutions as they intend to do so in respect of their own interests (both beneficial and non-beneficial).

Yours faithfully

Maya Abu-Deeb General Counsel & Group Company Secretary Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 20 May 2020

Notice of the Annual General Meeting

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General Meeting of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (the "Company") will be held at 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP on Tuesday 21 July 2020 at 12.00 noon.

You will be asked to consider and vote on the resolutions below. Resolutions 1 to 13 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 14 to 17 will be proposed as special resolutions.

Ordinary Business

Shareholders are asked to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions as ordinary resolutions:

• 1. To receive the audited accounts of the Company for the year ended 29 February 2020, together with the Report of the Directors and the report of the Auditor thereon.
• 1. To approve the Annual Statement by the Chair of the Remuneration Committee and the Annual Report on Directors' Remuneration for the year ended 29 February 2020, as set out on pages 88 to 90 and 96 to 108 respectively of the Company's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 29 February 2020.
• 1. To approve the Directors' Remuneration Policy as set out on pages 90 to 96 of the Company's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 29 February 2020.
• 1. To authorise the Directors to settle the intended final dividend for the year ended 29 February 2020 of 6.89 pence per share by way of a bonus issue of new Ordinary Shares.
• 1. To re-appoint Steven Hall as a Director of the Company.
• 1. To re-appoint Sir Richard Lambert as a Director of the Company.
• 1. To re-appoint Nigel Newton as a Director of the Company.
• 1. To re-appoint Leslie-Ann Reed as a Director of the Company.
• 1. To re-appoint Penny Scott-Bayfield as a Director of the Company.
• 1. To re-appoint John Warren as a Director of the Company.
• 1. To re-appoint KPMG LLP as Auditor of the Company to hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting at which financial statements for the Company are laid before the Company.
• 1. To authorise the Directors to determine the remuneration of the Auditor on behalf of the Company.

Special Business

Shareholders are asked to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions of which Resolution 13 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution and resolutions 14, 15, 16 and 17 will be proposed as special resolutions.

13. THAT:

• a. the Directors be generally and unconditionally authorised pursuant to section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act") to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot any shares in the Company and to grant rights t o subscribe for or convert any security into shares in the Company to such persons and on such terms as they think proper up to a maximum aggregate nominal amount of £329,562 provided that:
  • i. this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or, if earlier, 15 months from the date of passing of this resolution, unless previously varied, revoked or renewed by the Company in general meeting; and
  • ii. the Company shall be entitled to make, before the expiry of such authority, any offer or agreement which would or might require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares in the Company to be granted after the expiry of such authority and the Directors may allot any shares pursuant to such offer or agreement as if such authority had not expired; and
  • iii. the Directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements which they consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter; and
• b. all prior authorities to allot any shares in the Company and to grant rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares in the Company given to the Directors by resolution of the Company be revoked but without prejudice to the allotment of any shares already made or agreed to be made pursuant to such authorities.
• 1. THAT: if Resolution 13 is passed, the Directors be authorised to allot equity securities (as defined in the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act")) for cash under the authority given by that resolution and/or to sell Ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash as if section 561 of the Act did not apply to any such allotment or sale, such authority to be limited:
  2. a. to the allotment of equity securities in connection with a rights issue, open offer or other pre-emptive offer in favour of holders of Ordinary shares in the Company where the equity securities respectively attributable to the interests of all such holders of Ordinary shares are proportionate (as nearly as may be) to the respective numbers of and/or rights attaching to Ordinary shares held by them, subject to such exceptions, exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient to deal with fractional entitlements or legal or practical problems under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or any stock exchange or otherwise in any territory;
  3. b. to the allotment of equity securities pursuant to the terms of the Company's existing employees' share or share option schemes or any other employees' share scheme approved by the Shareholders of the Company in general meeting; and
  4. c. to the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares (otherwise than under paragraph a. and b. above) up to a nominal value not exceeding in aggregate £49,434;

and shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after passing this resolution or, if earlier, 15 months from the date of passing of this resolution, unless previously varied, revoked or renewed by the Company in general meeting, and provided that the Company may, before such expiry, make any offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted or Ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares to be sold after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities or sell treasury shares pursuant to any such offer or agreement as if the power hereby conferred had not expired; and all prior powers granted under section 571 of the Act revoked, provided that such revocation shall not have retrospective effect.

• 1. THAT: if Resolution 13 is passed, the Directors be authorised, in addition to any authority granted under Resolution 14, to allot equity securities (as defined in the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") for cash under the authority given by Resolution 13 and/or to sell Ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash, as if section 561 of the Act did not apply to any such allotment or sale, such further authority to be:
  2. a. limited to the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares up to a nominal amount of £49,434; and
  3. b. used only for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the authority is to be used within six months after the original transaction) a transaction which the Directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles on Disapplying Pre-Emption Rights most recently published by the Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of the notice of this resolution;

and shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after passing this resolution or, if earlier, 15 months from the date of passing of this resolution, unless previously varied, revoked or renewed by the Company in general meeting, and provided that the Company may, before such expiry, make any offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted or Ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares to be sold after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities or sell treasury shares pursuant to any such offer or agreement as if the power hereby conferred had not expired; and all prior powers granted under section 571 of the Act revoked, provided that such revocation shall not have retrospective effect.

• 1. THAT: the Company be authorised, pursuant to section 701 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act"), to make market purchases (as defined in section 693(4) of the Act) of any of its Ordinary shares of 1.25p each ("Ordinary shares") in such manner and on such terms as the Directors may from time to time determine provided that:
  2. a. the maximum number of Ordinary shares authorised to be purchased is 7,909,499 Ordinary shares being 10% of the issued Ordinary shares of the Company at the date of the notice of this resolution;
  3. b. the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for each Ordinary share is an amount equal to 105% of the average of the middle market quotations for an Ordinary share taken from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the five business days immediately preceding the date on which such share is contracted to be purchased and the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for each Ordinary share is 1.25 pence;
  4. c. the authority hereby conferred shall, unless previously varied, revoked or renewed, expire at the conclusion of the next AGM of the Company to be held after passing this resolution or 15 months from the date of passing of this resolution, whichever shall be the earlier; and
  5. d. the Company shall be entitled under such authority to make at any time before its expiry or termination any contract to purchase its own shares which will or might be concluded wholly or partly after the expiry or termination of such authority and may purchase its own shares pursuant to such contract.

Notice of the Annual General Meeting

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc continued

1. THAT: the Articles of Association contained in a document produced to the meeting and signed by the Chief Executive for the purposes of identification be approved and adopted as the New Articles of Association of the Company in substitution for, and to the exclusion of, the existing Articles of Association.

By order of the Board

Maya Abu-Deeb

General Counsel & Group Company Secretary Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 20 May 2020

Registered Office 50 Bedford Square London WC1B 3DP

Explanatory Notes to the Resolutions

Resolutions 1 to 13 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.

Resolutions 14 to 17 are proposed as special resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, at least threequarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.

Resolution 1 (ordinary resolution) – Report and Accounts

To receive the report of the Directors and the financial statements for the year ended 29 February 2020, together with the report of the Auditor.

Resolution 2 (ordinary resolution) – Approval of Annual Statement by the Chair of the Remuneration Committee and Annual Report on Directors' Remuneration

The Directors are required to prepare the Directors' Remuneration Report, comprising an annual report detailing the remuneration of the Directors and an annual statement by the Chair of the Remuneration Committee. These are set out on pages 88 to 90 and 96 to 108 of the Annual Report and Accounts. The Company is required to seek Shareholders' approval in respect of the contents of the Remuneration Report on an annual basis (excluding the part containing the Directors' Remuneration Policy) and of the annual statement. The vote for Resolution 2 is an advisory one.

Resolution 3 (ordinary resolution) – Approval of the Directors' Remuneration Policy

The Directors' Remuneration Policy is set out on pages 90 to 96 of the Company's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 29 February 2020. The Policy must be approved by Shareholders by means of a separate resolution (in accordance with section 439A of the Companies Act 2006) at least once every three years. The current Policy was approved by Shareholders at the AGM in 2017 and is therefore due for renewal. As part of the review of the Policy, the Company consulted with a number of the Company's largest Shareholders and, where appropriate, their comments have been reflected.

Subject to Shareholders' approval, it is intended that the new Policy will operate from 1 March 2020 and will become formally effective immediately after the AGM.

Resolution 4 (ordinary resolution) – Approval of the payment of the final dividend by way of a bonus issue of shares

The Company had intended to declare a final dividend for the year ended 29 February 2020 of 6.89 pence per share. This would have resulted in a total dividend for the year of 8.17 pence per share, up 3% on the previous year. As previously announced, the Company has decided, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, to conserve cash at the present time and therefore will not be paying a cash dividend.

It is now proposed, subject to Shareholder approval, that the dividend is instead settled through the issuance of new Ordinary shares of 1.25 pence each (the "Bonus Shares") by way of bonus issue, with a value equivalent to the proposed final dividend, (the "Bonus Issue") to Shareholders on Bloomsbury's register of members as at 11.59 pm on 31 July 2020 (the "Bonus Issue Record Time"), being the last date on which transfers will be accepted for registration to participate in the Bonus Issue.

The Bonus Shares will be issued on 28 August 2020 (the "Bonus Issue Payment Date") with the number of Bonus Shares (if any) to which each Shareholder on Bloomsbury's register of members as at the Bonus Issue Record Time is entitled calculated using the following formula:

a) the number of Ordinary shares held at the Bonus Issue Record Time multiplied by 6.89 pence; divided by

b) the average of the middle market quotations of Bloomsbury's Ordinary shares on the Daily Official List of the London Stock Exchange for the five consecutive dealing days commencing from and including 24 July 2020 (the "Reference Share Price").

No fraction of a Bonus Share will be issued and the calculation of entitlements to Bonus Shares will always be rounded down to the nearest whole Ordinary shares. Any fractional entitlements to Bonus Shares will be aggregated and Bloomsbury will procure that the maximum whole number of resulting Bonus Shares will be allotted and sold in the market with the net proceeds of sale (net of any commissions, expenses and applicable taxes) paid in due proportion to the relevant Shareholders (rounded down to the nearest penny), by way of cheque or credit to the relevant CREST account. Fractional entitlements to amounts (net of any commissions, expenses and applicable taxes) of £5 or less will not be paid to the relevant Shareholders who would otherwise be entitled to them due to the administrative costs incurred in doing so, but will be retained for the benefit of Bloomsbury.

In Resolution 4 Shareholders are being asked to authorise the Directors to proceed with the Bonus Issue and to capitalise up to £5,720,000 standing to the credit of Bloomsbury's distributable profits for the purposes of applying such amounts in paying up in full the Bonus Shares.

The Bonus Shares will be fully paid up and rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary shares of Bloomsbury and will have the rights, and be subject to the restrictions, provided for in Bloomsbury's Articles of Association ("Articles").

Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisers on their tax position in respect of any Bonus Shares and/or cash proceeds they receive in respect of any fractional entitlements to Bonus Shares.

Explanatory Notes to the Resolutions

continued

Expected Timetable of Events

1.	Latest time for return of proxies for Annual General Meeting	12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020
2.	Annual General Meeting	Tuesday 21 July 2020
3.	Ex-dividend date for the bonus issue of Ordinary Shares (the "Bonus Shares")	Thursday 30 July 2020
4.	Bonus Issue Record Time (and the last date on which transfers will be accepted for registration to participate in the Bonus Issue)	Friday 31 July 2020
5.	Bonus Issue Payment Date and admission to trading of the Bonus Shares on the London Stock Exchange	Friday 28 August 2020
6.	Despatch of share certificates for Bonus Shares to shareholders holding in certificated form (and CREST accounts of shareholders holding in uncertificated form credited with Bonus Shares)	On or soon after 8.00 am on the Bonus Issue Payment Date
7.	CREST accounts credited with any cash due in relation to the sale of fractional entitlements for shareholders who hold their shares in CREST (and despatch of cheques for any cash in relation to the sale of fractional entitlements for shareholders who do not hold their shares in CREST)	Within 14 days after the Bonus Issue Payment Date

Resolutions 5 to 10 (ordinary resolutions) – Re-appointment of Directors

In accordance with best practice for issuers listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and the Articles, all the Directors will retire at the AGM and, being eligible, offer themselves for re-appointment except for Jonathan Glasspool who will resign as a Director of the Company.

The Board has considered the appraisal of the performance of each Director offering themselves for re-appointment and has concluded that each of them makes positive and effective contributions to the meetings of the Board and the Committees on which they sit and that they demonstrate commitment to their roles.

The Board is satisfied that each Non-Executive Director offering themselves for appointment or re-appointment is independent in character and there are no relationships or circumstances likely to affect their character or judgement.

Biographical details for each of the Directors may be found on pages 68 to 69 of the Annual Report and Accounts.

The Board unanimously recommends the appointment or re-appointment of each of the Directors.

Resolution 11 (ordinary resolution) – Re-appointment of the Auditor

The Board recommends that the incumbent External Auditor, KPMG LLP (who have been in office since the 2013/14 financial year), be re-appointed for a further year so that they are able to audit the Company's report and accounts for the year ending 28 February 2021.

Resolution 12 (ordinary resolution) – Remuneration of the Auditor

The Board proposes that it be authorised to determine the level of the Auditor's remuneration for the year ending 28 February 2021.

Resolution 13 (ordinary resolution) – Authority to allot Ordinary shares

This is an ordinary resolution to replace the general authority, last given at the 2019 AGM, for the Directors to be authorised to allot Ordinary shares pursuant to section 551 of the Act. This resolution, if passed, would give the Directors the authority to allot up to 26,364,999 Ordinary shares of 1.25 pence with a nominal value of £329,562, representing approximately 33.33% of the issued Ordinary share capital of the Company at the date of this Notice.

This authority, if granted, will expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next AGM and 15 months from the date of passing this resolution. The Board has no present intention of exercising the authority granted by this resolution save in the circumstances referred to below. The Board intends to seek its renewal at subsequent AGMs of the Company.

As at the date of signing the Directors' Remuneration Report for the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts, the Directors had beneficial holdings of Ordinary shares in the Company which, in aggregate, amounted to approximately 1.35% of the Ordinary shares in issue. The Directors have been granted awards under the Company's share award schemes that, if they were to fully vest, would entitle the Directors to further Ordinary shares which in aggregate would amount to approximately a further 1.48% of the Ordinary shares in issue.

Resolutions 14 and 15 (special resolutions) – Disapplication of statutory pre-emption provisions

If the Directors wish to allot new shares and other equity securities, or to sell treasury shares, for cash (other than in connection with an employee share scheme), Company Law requires that these shares are offered first to Shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings.

The Statement of Principles on Disapplying Pre-Emption Rights most recently published by the Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of this Notice supports the annual disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of allotments of shares and other equity securities and sales of treasury shares for cash representing no more than 5% of the issued Ordinary share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares), without restriction as to the use of proceeds of those allotments.

Accordingly, the purpose of Resolution 14 is to authorise the Directors to allot new Ordinary shares pursuant to the allotment authority given to them by Resolution 13, or to sell treasury shares, for cash (i) pursuant to the terms of the Company's employees' share schemes, (ii) in connection with a pre-emptive offer or rights issue to Shareholders or (iii) otherwise up to a nominal value equivalent to 5% of the issued Ordinary share capital (exclusive of treasury shares) without the shares first being offered to existing Shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings.

The Board also intends to adhere to the provisions in the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles and not to allot shares or other equity securities or to sell treasury shares for cash on a non pre-emptive basis pursuant to the authority in Resolution 14 in excess of an amount equal to 7.5% of the issued Ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares), within a rolling three-year period, other than: with prior consultation with Shareholders; or in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the allotment.

The Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles also supports the annual disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of allotments of shares and other equity securities and sales of treasury shares for cash representing no more than an additional 5% of issued Ordinary share capital (exclusive of treasury shares), to be used only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment in respect of which sufficient information is made available to Shareholders to enable them to reach an assessment of the potential return.

Accordingly, and in line with the template resolutions published by the Pre-Emption Group, the purpose of Resolution 15 is to authorise the Directors to allot new shares and other equity securities pursuant to the allotment authority given by Resolution 13, or sell treasury shares, for cash up to a further nominal amount equivalent to 5% of the issued Ordinary share capital (exclusive of treasury shares) only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment, or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue. If the authority given in Resolution 15 is used, the Company will publish details of the placing in its next annual report.

If Resolutions 14 and 15 are passed, the authority will expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next AGM and 15 months from the date of passing the resolutions.

The Board considers the authorities in Resolutions 14 and 15 to be appropriate in order to allow the Company flexibility to finance business opportunities or to conduct a pre-emptive offer or rights issue without the need to comply with the strict requirements of the statutory pre-emption provisions. The Directors have no current intention to exercise the authorities granted by Resolutions 14 and 15. The Company has not allotted Ordinary shares or sold treasury shares for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis in the previous six years other than as follows: 869,054 shares allotted during December 2014 in connection with the acquisition of Osprey Publishing; 247,393 shares allotted during August 2016 in connection with the acquisition of Berg Fashion Library; shares allotted under employee share option schemes; and, the non-pre-emptive equity placing of 3,766,428 Ordinary shares in the capital of the Company in April 2020.

Resolution 16 (special resolution) – Authority for the Company to purchase Ordinary shares

This is a resolution to replace the general authority, last given at the 2019 AGM, for the Company to purchase its own Ordinary shares and either to cancel them or to hold them as treasury shares. The Company would be authorised to make market purchases of up to 7,909,499 Ordinary shares with a nominal value of £98,869, being equivalent to 10% of the issued Ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares) at the date of this Notice.

Treasury shares are not taken into account in calculations of earnings per share and may only be transferred pursuant to an employee share scheme, cancelled or sold for cash. Shares would only be purchased if the Directors consider such purchases are in the best interests of Shareholders generally and can be expected to result in an increase in earnings per share. The authority will only be used after considering the prevailing market conditions, other investment opportunities, appropriate gearing levels and the overall financial position of the Company. Any purchases would be market purchases through the London Stock Exchange. The upper and lower limits on the price which may be paid for those shares are set out in the resolution itself.

This authority would, if granted, expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next AGM and 15 months from the date of passing this resolution.

The Directors believe it is prudent to seek this general authority to be able to act if circumstances arise in which they consider such purchases to be in the best interests of Shareholders generally. The Directors have no current intention to exercise the authority granted by this resolution. The Company has not purchased its own Ordinary shares in the previous five years and holds no shares in treasury as at the date of this Notice.

Explanatory Notes to the Resolutions

continued

Resolution 17 (special resolution) – New Articles of Association

The Company's Articles of Association were last amended in 2010. The Board has taken the decision to seek approval for the adoption of the New Articles of Association to allow it to more efficiently deal with general meetings, including AGMs, in circumstances where physical meetings are prevented due to extreme events such as the current coronavirus crisis.

The changes provide new definitions of physical, electronic and hybrid meetings to allow maximum flexibility in the holding of Shareholder meetings in times when gatherings of large groups are limited in scope and therefore allowing for remote attendance and the casting of votes via virtual meetings.

As such, the New Articles are being adopted to include the ability of holding a general meeting on an electronic platform and therefore allowing Shareholders to attend and vote remotely, and also to grant the Board the power to determine whether a general meeting will be a physical, electronic or hybrid meeting. All differences between the proposed New Articles and existing Articles are limited to those which are necessary to grant the power to hold meetings (wholly or partially) on electronic platforms and permit attendance and voting (wholly or partially) on a virtual basis. The proposed New Articles include the necessary consequential changes to the provisions dealing with how notices are given, how meetings may be postponed, how a quorum is calculated, and how a meeting is adjourned. No other changes are being proposed to the Articles.

The Board wishes to emphasise its continued desire to hold physical meetings, including AGMs, whenever possible. As such, it only intends to use the power being requested by the New Articles to hold a virtual meeting in extreme circumstances such as a future outbreak of the coronavirus, or another event which means that the holding of a physical meeting may cause harm to life or is in fact restricted/prohibited by Government measures.

A copy of the draft New Articles, setting out the proposed changes to the existing Articles, are available to view on the Company's website (www.bloomsbury-ir.com).

Explanatory Notes to the Notice

The following notes explain your general rights as a Shareholder and your right to attend and vote at the AGM or to appoint someone else to vote on your behalf.

As explained in the Letter to Shareholders on page 2 of this document, due to the Stay Alert Measures issued by the Government in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Shareholders will not be permitted to attend the AGM in person. In order to comply with quorum requirements under the Company's Articles of Association, attendance at the AGM will be restricted to two Shareholders or their duly appointed proxies, and the Company will make the necessary arrangements to ensure the necessary quorum is present. Legislation to allow closed AGMs to be held virtually is anticipated, and we intend to avail ourselves of this option if such legislation is promulgated before our AGM. Shareholders are strongly encouraged to appoint the Chair of the Meeting to be their proxy at the AGM, given that no other named persons will be permitted to attend the AGM.

• 1. Entitlement to attend and vote. Shareholders included on the register of members (in relation to Ordinary shares held in CREST, pursuant to Regulation 41 of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001) at close of business on Friday 17 July 2020 will be entitled to vote at the AGM in respect of the number of Ordinary shares registered in their name at that time. Changes to the register of members after that time will be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to attend or vote at the meeting subject to the Stay Alert Measures referred to above.
• 1. Appointment of proxies. If a Shareholder meets the criteria set out in Note 1 above, they are entitled to attend and vote or may appoint one or more proxies to attend, speak and vote on their behalf, subject to the Stay Alert Measures referred to above. A proxy need not be a Shareholder of the Company. A Shareholder can only appoint a proxy using the procedures set out in these notes. If a Shareholder wishes their proxy to speak on their behalf at the meeting, they will need to appoint their own choice of proxy (who is not the Chair) and give instructions directly to the proxy. A Shareholder may appoint more than one proxy provided each proxy is appointed to exercise rights attached to different shares. A Shareholder may not appoint more than one proxy to exercise rights attached to any one share. A vote withheld is not a vote in law, which means that the vote will not be counted in the calculation of votes for or against the resolution. If no voting indication is given, the Shareholder's proxy will vote or abstain from voting at their discretion. The Shareholder's proxy will vote (or abstain from voting) as they think fit in relation to any other matter which is put before the AGM.

Shareholders are recommended to vote their shares electronically at www.signalshares.com. On the home page, search "Bloomsbury Publishing Plc" and then register or log in, using your Investor Code. To vote at the AGM, click on the "Vote Online Now" button by not later than 12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020 (or 48 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays) before the time appointed for any adjournment of it). Electronic votes and proxy votes should be submitted as early as possible and, in any event, to be received by no later than 12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020. Any power of attorney or other authority under which the proxy is submitted must be sent to the Company's Registrar (Link Asset Services, PXS1, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4ZF) so as to have been received by the Company's Registrars by not later than 12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020 (or 48 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays) before the time appointed for any adjournment of it).

You are entitled to request a hard copy form of proxy directly from the Registrar, Link Asset Services, whose contact details can be found in Note 14. If a paper form of proxy is requested from the Company's Registrar, it must be completed and sent to the Company's Registrar (Link Asset Services, PXS1, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4ZF) so as to have been received by the Company's Registrars by not later than 12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020 (or 48 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays) before the time appointed for any adjournment of it).

1. Appointment of proxies through CREST. CREST members who wish to appoint a proxy or proxies by utilising the CREST electronic proxy appointment service may do so for the AGM and any adjournment(s) thereof by utilising the procedures described in the CREST Manual. CREST personal members or other CREST sponsored members, and those CREST members who have appointed a voting service provider(s), should refer to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take the appropriate action on their behalf.

In order for a proxy appointment made by means of CREST to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (a CREST Proxy Instruction) must be properly authenticated in accordance with Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited's ("EUI") specifications and must contain the information required for such instructions, as described in the CREST Manual. The message must be transmitted so as to be received by the issuer's agent (ID - RA10) not later than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the AGM. For this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to be the time (as determined by the timestamp applied to the message by the CREST Applications Host) from which the issuer's agent is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST. After this time, any change of instructions to a proxy appointed through CREST should be communicated to the proxy by other means. For further information on CREST procedures, limitations and systems timings, please refer to the CREST Manual. In all cases, for a proxy form to be valid, the CREST Voting Service information must be received by the Company's Registrar no later than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the AGM.

CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers should note that EUI does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular messages. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST personal member or sponsored member or has appointed a voting service provider(s), to procure that their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time. In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings. The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5)(a) of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001.

• 1. Appointment of proxy by joint members. In the case of joint holders, where more than one of the joint holders purports to appoint a proxy, only the appointment submitted by the most senior holder will be accepted. Seniority is determined by the order in which the names of the joint holders appear in the Company's register of members in respect of the joint holding (the first-named being the most senior).
• 1. Changing proxy instructions. To change your proxy instructions simply submit a new proxy appointment using the methods set out in Note 2. Note that the cut-off time for receipt of proxy appointments (see above) also applies in relation to amended instructions; any amended proxy appointment received after the relevant cut-off time will be disregarded. Where you have appointed a proxy using the hard-copy proxy form and would like to change the instructions using another hard-copy proxy form, please contact Link Asset Services at PXS1, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4ZF. If you submit more than one valid proxy appointment, the appointment received last before the latest time for the receipt of proxies will take precedence.
• 1. Termination of proxy appointments. In order to revoke a proxy instruction electronically please follow the method set out in Note 2 and elect to withhold your vote on each resolution. To revoke a hard copy proxy instruction you will need to inform the Company by sending a signed hard copy notice clearly stating your intention to revoke your proxy appointment to Link Asset Services at PXS1, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4ZF. In the case of a Shareholder which is a company, the revocation notice must be executed under its common seal or signed on its behalf by an officer of the company or an attorney for the company. Any power of attorney or any other authority under which the revocation notice is signed (or a duly certified copy of such power or authority) must be included with the revocation notice. The revocation notice must be received by Link Asset Services no later than 12.00 noon on Friday 17 July 2020. If you attempt to revoke your proxy appointment but the revocation is received after the time specified then, subject to the paragraph directly below, your proxy appointment will remain valid. Appointment of a proxy does not preclude you from attending the AGM and voting in person, subject to the Stay Alert Measures referred to above. If you have appointed a proxy and attend the AGM in person, your proxy appointment will automatically be terminated.
• 1. Corporate representatives. A corporation which is a Shareholder can appoint one or more corporate representatives who may exercise, on its behalf, all its powers as a Shareholder provided that no more than one corporate representative exercises powers over the same shares.
• 1. Issued shares and total voting rights. As at 19 May 2020 (being the last business day prior to the date of this Notice), the Company's issued share capital comprised 79,094,998 Ordinary shares of 1.25 pence each (subject to any changes that will be notified to you at the beginning of the AGM). Each Ordinary share carries the right to one vote at a General Meeting of the Company and, therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company as at 19 May 2020 is 79,094,998.

Explanatory Notes to the Notice

continued

• 1. Questions at the AGM. If the Stay Alert Measures remain in force at the date of the AGM, Shareholders are invited to submit to the Board any questions they would otherwise have asked at the AGM ahead of the meeting by email to: AGM2020@bloomsbury.com, marked for the attention of the Company Secretary. Any Shareholder who would have attended the meeting has the right to ask questions. Under section 319A of the Companies Act 2006, the Company must answer any question relating to the business being dealt with at the meeting, except in certain circumstances, including (i) if to do so would interfere unduly with the preparation for the mee ting or involve the disclosure of confidential information, (ii) the answer has already been given on a website in the form of an answer to a question, or (iii) if it is undesirable in the interest of the Company or the good order of the meeting that the question be answered.
• 1. Website publication of audit concerns. Under Section 527 of the Companies Act 2006, Shareholders meeting the threshold requirements set out in that section have the right to require the Company to publish on a website a statement setting out any matter relating to: (i) the audit of the Company's accounts (including the Auditor's Report and the conduct of the audit) that are to be laid before the AGM; or (ii) any circumstance connected with an Auditor of the Company ceasing to hold office since the previous meeting at which annual accounts and reports were laid in accordance with section 437 of the Act. The Company may not require the Shareholders requesting any such website publication to pay its expenses in complying with sections 527 or 528 of the Act. Where the Company is required to place a statement on a website under section 527 of the Act, it must forward the statement to the Company's Auditor not later than the time when it makes the statement available on the website. The business which may be dealt with at the AGM includes any statement that the Company has been required under section 527 of the Act to publish on a website.
• 1. Nominated Persons. Any person to whom this Notice is sent who is a person nominated under section 146 of the Act to enjoy information rights (a "Nominated Person") may, under an agreement between them and the Shareholder by whom they were nominated ("Relevant Member"), have a right to be appointed (or to have someone else appointed) as a proxy for the AGM. If a Nominated Person has no such proxy appointment right or does not wish to exercise it, they, under any such agreement, may have a right to give instructions to the Relevant Member as to the exercise of voting rights. Your main point of contact in terms of your investment in the Company remains the Relevant Member (or, perhaps, your custodian or broker) and you should continue to contact them (and not the Company) regarding any changes or queries relating to your personal details and your interest in the Company (including any administrative matters). The only exception to this is where the Company expressly requests a response from you. The statement of the rights of Shareholders in relation to the appointment of proxies does not apply to Nominated Persons. The rights described in this regard can only be exercised by Shareholders of the Company.
• 1. Members' Rights. Under section 338 and section 338A of the Companies Act 2006, a member or members meeting the qualification criteria in those sections have the right to require the Company (i) to give to members of the Company entitled to receive notice of the AGM, notice of a resolution which may properly be moved and is intended to be moved at the AGM and/or (ii) to include in the business to be dealt with at the AGM any matter (other than a proposed resolution) which may be properly included in the business. A resolution may properly be moved or a matter may properly be included in the business unless (a) (in the case of a resolution only) it would, if passed, be ineffective (whether by reason of inconsistency with any enactment or the Company's constitution or otherwise); or (b) it is defamatory of any person; or (c) it is frivolous or vexatious. Such a request may be in hard copy form or in electronic form, must identify the resolution of which notice is to be given or the matter to be included in the business, must be authorised by the person or persons making it. The request must be received by the Company not later than the later of the dates falling six weeks before the AGM and the time of giving this Notice of AGM, and (in the case of a matter to be included in the business only) must be accompanied by a statement setting out the grounds for the request.
• 1. Documents. For such time that the Stay Alert Measures continue to remain in force, the Company is unable to make available for inspection the documents that would otherwise customarily be available at the Company's registered office. In the event that the Stay Alert Measures cease to have effect, copies of the following documents will be available for inspection at the Company's Registered Office, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, during usual business hours on any weekday, Saturdays and public holidays excepted, from the date of this Notice until the date of the AGM and at the place of the AGM for 15 minutes prior to and during the meeting:
  2. copies of the service agreements under which the Executive Directors of the Company are employed by the Company or its subsidiaries;
  3. copies of letters of appointment of the Non-Executive Directors;
  4. a copy of the Articles of Association of the Company; and
  5. the terms of reference of the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee of the Board.
• 1. Communication. Except as provided above, members who have general queries about the AGM should call the Company's Shareholder helpline on 0371 664 0300. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open between 9:00am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales. Calls may be recorded and monitored for security and training purposes; no other methods of communication will be accepted. You may not use any electronic address provided in this Notice of Meeting to communicate with the Company for any purposes other than those expressly stated.
• 1. Website giving information regarding the AGM. Information regarding the meeting, including the information required by section 311A of the Companies Act 2006, is available from www.bloomsbury-ir.co.uk.