"Banknotes should carry a picture of Nick Leeson", Arsène Wenger or Joey Essex, say Brits
The Bank of England is asking the public to give their views on what theme they would like to see represented in the design of the next series of banknotes.
It says: "Our banknotes have showcased notable historical figures since 1970, when William Shakespeare became the first person other than the monarch to feature on a Bank of England banknote. There are many ways to represent the UK on our banknotes. The consultation gives people the opportunity to express their views on what theme they would like us to feature on the next series of our banknotes.
“The six potential themes the Bank of England has identified include: notable historical figures, architecture and landmarks, arts, culture and sport, noteworthy events in history, innovation and nature.”
Newspage gauged the British public for an immediate response, and the responses were predictably British.
Riz Malik, Director at Southend-on-Sea-based R3 Wealth, said “Banknotes should carry a picture of Nick Leeson to remind us that it only takes one person to bring down a bank.”
Ben Perks, Managing Director at Stourbridge-based Orchard Financial Advisers, suggested we may well end up with Banky McBankface: “I remember fondly when the National Oceanography Centre asked the public to name a £200 million boat, and we went for Boaty McBoatface. It’s nice of the Bank of England to ask, but we never take these things seriously and I look forward to seeing Joey Essex’s face on a fiver in no time.”
Jonathan Moser, CEO at London-based Mo'Living, said Arsène Wenger for the win: “As a proud North Londoner and lifelong Arsenal fan, I’d put Arsène Wenger on a banknote in a heartbeat. He brought style, discipline, and stubbornness to the beautiful game – a bit like me managing my tenants. And he always made money go further, which feels very relevant for the Bank of England.”
Meanwhile, David Belle, Trader at Fink Money, said the honour should go to Mervyn King for creating a policy that put taxpayers on the line: “We should have Mervyn King on all banknotes. He introduced the greatest policy ever whereby he convinced the Treasury to indemnify the Bank of England’s bond portfolio meaning taxpayers paid when the Bank of England sold bonds at a loss. This was truly statesmanlike and not at all bad for the UK economy...”
Scott Gallacher, Director at Leicester based advisers, Rowley Turton, looked locally for inspiration: "I’d love to see the next series of banknotes celebrate innovation and the brilliant minds who’ve shaped our world. As someone from Leicester, I’d be especially proud to see local heroes like Thomas Cook, the pioneer of modern travel; Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine; and Sir Alec Jeffreys, who revolutionised forensic science with DNA fingerprinting. Featuring innovators like these would not only honour Britain’s past but also inspire future generations to keep pushing boundaries and keep the UK at the forefront of global progress."
Anita Wright, Chartered Financial Planner at Anita Wright, said she would “create a theme that celebrates the enduring forces that have shaped Britain: wisdom, wonder, resilience, continuity, and the natural world.”
But for Rob Peters, Principal at Simple Fast Mortgage, Alan Turing, the NHS, or even Sir David Attenborough would sit well, but he added nobody would likely see the notes for much longer anyway: “Hard cash has effectively been sidelined since Covid, with concerns the Government and HMRC are using this as a springboard to increase scruntiny on transactions and the movement of money. Banknotes could be a thing of the past in the not too distant future.”
More follows….
