If it’s claimed that money makes the world go round, then the Brixton Pound looks set to inject some fresh energy into the South London district of Brixton. The B£ goes legal tender today, giving the people of Brixton a new currency to call their own. The notes will be unveiled tonight at the official launch at 7pm at Lambeth Town Hall, which will be then followed by an after-party at Dogstar where revellers will urged to flash their newly minted cash.
Designed as a complementary currency to be used alongside the sterling pound, the B£ project was initiated by community-led organisation Transition Town Brixton (TTB), which campaigns for action on energy issues and climate change. Its rather ambitious plan is to encourage local communities to consume less energy by becoming more self-sufficient, the first step being to boost local trade with the circulation of Brixton-only currency. There are already three other ‘Transition Towns’ in the UK using complementary currency - Devon (Totnes Pound), Sussex (Lewes Pound) and Gloucestershire (Stroud Pound) – but Brixton is the first urban area to adopt the scheme.
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So how does it all work? Sterling can be exchanged for B£ and vice-versa at designated issuing points. You can also ask for the notes, which come in £1, £5 and £20 denomination, in change when making purchases. But surely, the bigger question is, will it work? Some sceptics are already having a field day, dismissing it as ‘monopoly money’ and questioning the viability of the B£ project, voicing concerns about possible tax evasion and counterfeiting. On the last count, organisers have assured that their currency is as ‘safe as the Bank of England’s’, with holograms and foil strips used to prevent copies. |
Still, don’t expect to see the Queen - regal as she might be - on the Brixton Pound. Word is that famous faces like David Bowie, the Clash, Harold Macmillan and Sharon Osborne – all former Brixton residents – are all in the running to appear on the notes. All will be revealed tonight, but for now we put our money – if you pardon the pun - on Ziggy Stardust. That’ll be a total riot.
-SL
For more information on the Brixton Pound, click here
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