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Bank of England unveils new plastic £10 note featuring Jane Austen New Jane Austen £10 note with tactile features hailed as 'fantastic' for blind and visually impaired people
(about 1 hour later)
The Bank of England's unveiled a new polymer £10 note featuring Jane Austen on Tuesday, the day that marked the 200th anniversary of the novelist's death. The Bank of England unveiled a new plastic £10 note on Tuesday, and it has been hailed as a "fantastic" for the blind and visually impaired.
The Pride and Prejudice author will become the only woman, apart from the Queen, to appear on a current UK banknote when the new £10 enters circulation in September. A £5 note featuring prison reformer Elizabeth Fry ceased being legal tender on 5 May. The £10 note includes tactile raised dots, similar to braille characters, on the left hand side of the note and fine raised lines on the right.
Ian Morris, who volunteers for the charity Guide Dogs, and is blind, tested the new plastic £10 note at its unveiling on Tuesday.
“It’s a fantastic invention; absolutely superb,” Mr Morris, who works as a supply chain manager, told The Independent.
“The difference is night and day between the old paper notes and the new plastic ones. From a blind person perspective, you couldn’t really tell the difference between an old £10 and a £20.
“You had more chance with the five. Now with the new plastic five, that feels completely different, and with this new £10 with the tactile features, effectively that’s 5 ten and twenty, with completely different textures. It’s a massive leap forward."
The Bank of England says it plans to introduce the new tactile features on the new £20 note, which is due for release in 2020.
“What it means is you’ve got a very easy way to arrange your notes in your wallet to make sure you know where you are, Mr Morris said.
“Day to-day it has made things much easier. Most of the time it’s not been a problem; you’ve got people about to help, but from my perspective, I’m always much happier to organise my own life rather than let others do it."
The note is the second to be printed on a plastic polymer which the Bank says is cleaner, safer and more hard-wearing than the traditional cotton paper it will replace. A plastic fiver featuring Winston Churchill entered circulation last September.The note is the second to be printed on a plastic polymer which the Bank says is cleaner, safer and more hard-wearing than the traditional cotton paper it will replace. A plastic fiver featuring Winston Churchill entered circulation last September.
The new £10 note will also include tactile features to help blind and partially sighted people better identify their money.
Wendy Rankin, director of mobility services at the charity Guide Dogs, said she was “delighted” at the inclusion of the feature which would ensure that people with sight loss can continue to use cash with confidence.
Speaking at the launch of the new note at Winchester Cathedral, where Ms Austen was buried, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said the author, “certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes.Speaking at the launch of the new note at Winchester Cathedral, where Ms Austen was buried, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said the author, “certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes.
“Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal, and she is recognised as one of the greatest writers in English literature.“Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal, and she is recognised as one of the greatest writers in English literature.
“As Austen joins Adam Smith, Boulton and Watt, and Churchill, our notes will celebrate a diverse range of individuals who have contributed in a wide range of fields.”“As Austen joins Adam Smith, Boulton and Watt, and Churchill, our notes will celebrate a diverse range of individuals who have contributed in a wide range of fields.”
The new note also features a famous quote from Pride and Prejudice’s Miss Bingley: “I declare after all there is no enjoyment but reading!”The new note also features a famous quote from Pride and Prejudice’s Miss Bingley: “I declare after all there is no enjoyment but reading!”
The move to polymer notes sparked controversy last year after the Bank confirmed that an “extremely small amount” of tallow - or animal fat - was used to produce the polymer pellets used in the production process for the new notes.The move to polymer notes sparked controversy last year after the Bank confirmed that an “extremely small amount” of tallow - or animal fat - was used to produce the polymer pellets used in the production process for the new notes.
Activists and religious groups have been pushing for sustainable, plant-based alternatives and have accused the central bank of forcing unethical products on the public.Activists and religious groups have been pushing for sustainable, plant-based alternatives and have accused the central bank of forcing unethical products on the public.
The Bank said it had held off signing new contracts for the £20 polymer note, which is due to be released in 2020 while it worked to better understand public opinion on the issue. It said it is also exploring other plant-based replacement options including palm oil and coconut oil.The Bank said it had held off signing new contracts for the £20 polymer note, which is due to be released in 2020 while it worked to better understand public opinion on the issue. It said it is also exploring other plant-based replacement options including palm oil and coconut oil.
The Bank said it would keep the £5 in circulation and issue the £10 as planned in September because other options such as destroying the notes would be too expensive.The Bank said it would keep the £5 in circulation and issue the £10 as planned in September because other options such as destroying the notes would be too expensive.
Additional reporting by news agenciesAdditional reporting by news agencies