Hundreds at launch of Lewes Pound
HUNDREDS of people witnessed the launch of the Lewes Pound last night (Tuesday), amid a fanfare of national publicity.
The town's first pounds were spent at an event at Lewes Town Hall and can be used at 76 shops in Lewes.
The evening featured talks by Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition Town movement.
The Mayor of Lewes, Cllr Michael Chartier,provided an official countdown to the launch.
The aim of the complementary currency is to encourage people to spend their hard-earned cash in Lewes and to boost the local economy.
An initial run of 10,000 worth of Lewes pound notes has been printed on specialist high quality paper.
The notes are numbered and watermarked.
Adrienne Campbell, from Transition Town Lewes, the environmental group behind the Lewes Pound, said: 'It's been amazing.
'There's been such a sense of excitement about it and such a can-do attitude from traders and the whole community.
'The organisers of the farmers market has said 90 per cent of their traders are willing to take the pound and we've already heard that one trader is offering discounts for goods paid for with the Lewes Pound.'
Barclays Bank has withdrawn its offer to issue the Lewes Pound from its branch in the High Street and Transition Town Lewes has said it was in discussion with other banks and building societies.
The notes are currently being issued from F Richards and Sons Butchers, Lewes Town Hall, Lewes Farmers Market and Mays General Stores
For a full list of the participating traders visit www.thelewespound.org
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Weather for Lewes
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
