Your banknote redesign ideas – from British Bulldogs to mobile phones

Whereas money may not be as widespread because it as soon as was, the chance to vogue the following sequence of banknotes has obtained brains whirring and tails wagging.

Inside a day of reporting on the Financial institution of England’s public invitation to affect a serious redesign of banknotes, there have been greater than 2,000 responses to Your Voice, Your BBC on the problem.

Dudley the British Bulldog, pictured on Cawsand Seashore in Cornwall, shall be one of many least doubtless contenders, regardless of being described as a “nationwide treasure” by his proprietor Julie, from Plymouth.

However animals and nature, in addition to railways and TV nostalgia have featured strongly among the many concepts.

Photographs of historic characters, beginning with William Shakespeare, have featured on Financial institution of England notes since 1970.

Now, the Financial institution’s chief cashier Victoria Cleland has urged pictures on the following set of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes may stick to notable figures of the previous or move on to a new theme, as is seen on banknotes issued in Scotland, Nothern Eire and around the globe.

The Financial institution is giving individuals a month to select from certain themes, such as architecture, innovation or the arts, or suggest their own topics.

The Financial institution has not commented on the variety of entries thus far, however – if responses to the BBC are something to go by – they’re more likely to be inundated.

Among the many themes to be urged was a celebration of the UK’s maritime heritage.

The Mary Rose, HMS Belfast, HMS Trincomalee, HMS Victory, Cutty Sark, and the SS Nice Britain are all worthy of a spot on a banknote, in keeping with Hilary in London.

Charles from Bristol goes additional. “I do not simply imply the spectacularly stunning clipper ships, and immediately recognisable liners, however maybe among the lesser identified vessels buying and selling with Commonwealth nations, or oil rig help vessels working arduous within the North Sea,” he wrote.

There are appeals for the themes and selections to symbolize the entire of the nation.

The Angel of the North is a daily suggestion, and areas of pure magnificence such because the Yorkshire Dales.

Mike in Salisbury thinks utilizing vacationer websites on banknotes may deliver advantages.

“Vacationers come to England to see the primary websites akin to Stonehenge, Buckingham Palace, the Queen Elizabeth Tower and so on,” he says.

“If the banknotes confirmed these footage then they might be extra more likely to go to the location, maintain one up when taking a photograph, and possibly even taking the be aware residence as a memento.”

Nostalgia options closely, bringing a more moderen historic outlook to notes which have carried pictures of individuals from the previous for greater than 50 years.

“Some traditional British youngsters’s TV characters like Willow The Wisp, Bagpuss, or perhaps a assortment of them would make me smile,” says Steve in Cardiff.

“Likewise I feel some traditional British TV may very well be represented, like The Invoice – no pun supposed – or Casualty, cleaning soap operas and even comedies like Fawlty Towers. Tv has been a big a part of life for many individuals rising up and I am certain, individuals would recognize a little bit of nostalgia on the notes.”

Nostalgia for the railways and “native and significant” stations additionally options in responses.

“With the 200 years of the railway in Britain being celebrated, it appears a disgrace to not rejoice that contemplating we gave railways to the world,” says Ian in Derby.

Regardless of the wide selection of choices, some individuals are eager to stay to the best way key figures in historical past are honoured on banknotes.

“Having checked out all of the choices I actually do assume that historic figures ought to nonetheless be primary selection. Would possibly it’s potential to incorporate Diana Princess of Wales someplace?” asks Elizabeth, from Oxford.

However with money utilized in solely 12% of transactions, some say the effort and time concerned in an enormous overhaul of notes is pointless.

“We’re sadly confronted with the prospect of a cashless society, with so many locations refusing to simply accept my money, so I’ve to marvel, why hassle altering the design?” says Daybreak in Redditch.

Ian in Leighton Buzzard is rather more blunt. “I might counsel that the brand new banknotes appear to be a cell phone as a result of that’s how individuals are used to paying,” he says.

Individuals can submit their views through a web-based type on the Financial institution’s web site, or by put up, by the tip of July.

The ultimate resolution on what precisely options on a banknote lies with the Financial institution’s governor.

Extra reporting by Bernadette McCague