LEWES will soon have its own currency accepted by more than 30 local businesses and it also looks set to be issued from a high street bank in the town.
The Lewes Pound launches on September 5. Notes will be accepted at a host of local independent shops and issued at four different places in Lewes.
Adrienne Campbell, a member of Transition Town Lewes, the group behind the initiative, said: 'We've
just heard that Barclays Bank will also be issuing the Lewes Pound, a first I think for a national bank to distribute local currency in England.
'And a first since 1895 when Lewes Traders created the first Lewes Pound backed with sterling from Lewes Old Bank on the site of the current Barclays Bank.'
The agreement with the bank was being finalised as the Express went to press but a spokesman for Barclays said it was keen to support the scheme.
The aim of the Lewes Pound is to encourage people to buy and produce locally and keep more money in the pockets of local businesses.
It will be a complementary currency which can be exchanged for cash at a number of places including Barclays Bank, Lewes Town Hall, Mays General Stores and Richards and Son Butchers.
The notes can be used in participating shops or exchanged back into cash.
Lewesians will have their first chance to use the notes at a launch event on September 5 at the Foundry Gallery, Market Lane Garage, North Street.
The evening features talks by national newspaper columnist Polly Toynbee, Stewart Wallis from the New Economics Foundation and Rob Hopkins the founder of Transition Towns concept.
The Mayor of Lewes cllr Michael Chartier will officially launch the currency and subscribers to the scheme will be able to spend their Lewes pounds on food and drink provided by Harveys Brewery and Bills Cafe.
For more information call 01273 252077.
The full article contains 320 words and appears in Sussex Express Series newspaper.
