Exhibit 4.14

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|30th July 2001                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 
|Mr. V. Radice,
      Chief Executive, 
      Selfridges
    plc,
    400 Oxford Street,
    London W1A 1AB.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 
|Dear Mr. Radice,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 
|BOARD APPOINTMENT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Further to your
        recent telephone conversation with Lord Tugendhat, I am setting out for
        you the details relating to your forthcoming Board appointment. Before
        the Board may appoint you, two important regulatory consents are required
        and these are specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 below. Accordingly your
        appointment is conditional upon Abbey National receiving appropriate
        clearances and the subsequent formal Resolution by the Board, which is
        scheduled for its next Meeting on Tuesday 25th September. Subject to
        this process, we would look to you to attend your first meeting on that
    day at 9.30 am, here at Abbey House, Baker Street.
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|I will be away from
        the office on vacation from Monday 13th August and therefore if you
        have any queries on these issues after this date, please contact Mr.
    Norman Wilkes, Deputy Secretary on telephone number 020-7612-4414.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           



|1. | FORM 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |              
|-- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |              
|   | This is the principal regulatory form which
        will be forwarded on to  the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
        Please complete it, sign it on page 9, and return it to me. Do not date
    it. Abbey National Guidance Notes are annexed to the back of the form. | Appendix I   
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |              
|   | Please also complete and sign the form headed “Additional information required
for new Appointees to the Board of Abbey National plc”.                                                                                                                                          | Appendix 1(a)
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |              
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |              



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|2. | PIA FORM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | Appendix II 
|-- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | Abbey National plc is currently regulated by
        the PIA and Directors are required to be individually registered. Please
        complete the form where indicated and return it to me. Again, do not
        date it. The guidance and explanatory sections require careful consideration,
        notwithstanding that most of the form is not applicable because the key “fit
    and proper” questions are addressed in the Form 3 above.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|3. | DIRECTORS’ FEES                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | The current basic fee is £30,000 per
        annum payable quarterly in arrears at the end of March, June, September
        and December.
        If you are agreeable to your fee being sent direct to your bank, I would
        be grateful if you could let me know the name and address of your bank,
        the code number and account number. Perhaps you could also advise your
        PAYE Coding and National Insurance Number (and send any exemption certificate)
        so our Salaries Officer can sort out the necessary details. Additional
        fees are paid in respect of membership of Board Committees. Fees are
    reviewed annually but usually only increased every two years. |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|4. | EXPENSES                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | Appendix III
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | Any incidental expenses you incur in attending Board Meetings or other functions
    of the Company, will be met and a few claim forms are enclosed for you to
    furnish to me whenever convenient to you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|5. | SHARE DEALING CODE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Appendix  IV
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | As a Director of Abbey National plc you will
        be in receipt of potentially price sensitive information and accordingly
        you will be subject to the Company’s Share Dealing Code. A copy of the
        Code is enclosed and I would be obliged if you could study this carefully.
        In particular, may I draw your attention to the need to obtain prior
        clearance for any proposed dealing. A supply of pre-dealing clearance
    forms is enclosed for this purpose.                                                                                                                                                                                                              |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | If you decide to deal in Abbey National shares
        then details have to be forwarded to the Company within five working
        days of the transaction and we are obliged to enter the details in statutory
    registers and immediately report such transactions to the Stock Exchange.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | To facilitate tracking for compliancepurposes, we prefer that shares are not
held in a nominee name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |             
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |             
|   | Could I please ask you to consult with me if
        you intend to deal in Abbey National
securities.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |             

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|6.  | SHARE HOLDING
    IN ABBEY NATIONAL plc                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | Appendix
    V
|--- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | Please advise me on the attached
      form of any share holding you or your spouse or infant children have in
    the ordinary shares of Abbey National.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | I can confirm that there are no qualifying shareholding requirements on directors.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|7.  | OTHER REGULATORY FORMALITIES                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | Form 288                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | Appendix VI   
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | This is the standard Form of directors’      consent which will be passed on to Companies House. Please complete and
      sign where indicated and return to me. Please do not date it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|8.  | DURATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | In accordance with standing Board
      resolutions and in the context of Stock Exchange guidelines on corporate
      governance, the appointment is for three years. Thereafter,
    subject to mutual agreement, it may be extendible for a further period. In
    addition, you will be required to face election by our shareholders at the
    Company’s Annual General Meeting in April 2002.    |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|9.  | LOANS FROM ABBEY NATIONAL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | Please be good enough to advise
      me if you or any person connected to you is in receipt of any loan from
      Abbey National.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|10. | OTHER INTERESTS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | Apart from entries in the statutory registers, I would be obliged if you could
    notify me of any other interests which should be recorded by the Company.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|11. | PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |               
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |               
|    | We are obliged to inform the Stock
       Exchange of your appointment and an announcement will be made immediately
       following Board approval in September. Could you
    please advise how you would like to be described in such an announcement.
    In this connection it would be helpful if you could forward to me a copy
    of the latest published Report & Accounts of Selfridges plc. |               

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|12. | DELEGATED AUTHORITIES AND CONTROL FRAMEWORK                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Appendix VII 
|--- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|    | I am enclosing a copy of the Board’s High
    Level Binder and am obviously available to answer any queries.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|13. | INDEPENDENT ADVICE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Appendix VIII
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|    | In the context of the British practices on
        corporate governance, there are provisions for Directors to obtain independent
        professional advice at the expense of the Company. The attached note
    from the Chairman sets out how these arrangements operate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|14. | MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | Appendix IX  
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|    | I am attaching a copy of the Company’s Memorandum
        and Articles of Association. These set out, interalia, the powers of
        Directors. I am always available
    to deal with any queries you may have on any aspect of the Company's governance
    arrangements.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|15. | DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIRECTORS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|    | The legal and regulatory duties and responsibilities
        of Directors of banks are becoming more onerous and in this connection
        I will be arranging for you to attend a private session with a Partner
        from Deloitte & Touche who can advise on current developments. In
        the meantime, if you need any help in this regard, I can make available
    to you various explanatory publications.                                                                                                                                     |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|16. | DIRECTOR TRAINING                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|    | Regulations in the Banking Sector, and corporate
        governance best practice, require us to ensure that Directors are equipped
        to fulfil their duties and responsibilities. In the first instance I
        would suggest that you should spend some time with each of the Executive
        Directors, including myself. Perhaps your secretary could provide me
        with some possible dates and times. Thereafter, we can arrange a programme
        of visits to key business areas, including some branches in our Retail
    network. |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|17. | BOARD DATES                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Appendix X   
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              
|    | I enclose a schedule of Board dates for the remainder of 2001 and for the Year
    2002.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |              
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |              

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|18.                                                                                                                                                      | FORTHCOMING FUNCTIONS                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|                                                                                                                                                         | The Chairman has arranged for a working Dinner
    to be held on Monday 22nd October, at The Connaught Hotel, London.                                                                                                      | 
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|                                                                                                                                                         | We will be holding our usual Christmas function
        on Monday 17th December at the Savoy Hotel and I hope you and your wife
        will be able to attend. I will be circulating further details nearer
    the time. | 
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|Please feel free to call me or
        e-mail me over any aspect of this letter. The  attached directory
    details phone numbers of all the Directors. | Appendix XI                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|I do hope all this paperwork
        does not spoil your return from holiday. In terms of priorities, paragraphs
    1 and 2 are the most important .    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|I look forward to meeting up
    with you after the Summer break.                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|Yours sincerely,                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|I.K.Treacy,                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Director and Secretary.                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|Encls:                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 
|cc:Lord
        Tugendhat, Chairman.                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 

|b.c.c. | Norman Wilkes, Deputy Secretary
      Leena Nagrecha,
    Assistant Group Secretary
    Paul Coote, Director of Compliance | 
|------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 
|       |                                                                                                                            | 

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