Bank begins full production of plastic £5 notes

Updated
Clydesdale Bank
Clydesdale Bank



Clydesdale Bank has announced plans to begin full production of its new plastic £5 notes.

Earlier this year, the bank issued £10 million of the polymer notes - a limited edition featuring the Forth Bridge - to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the opening of the famous landmark.

The move to full production means all of Clydesdale's paper £5 notes will now be replaced with polymer £5 notes later in 2016.

The bank said the move was in celebration of the Forth Bridge being awarded Unesco World Heritage status.

The construction, spanning the Firth of Forth, was named as Scotland's sixth World Heritage Site at the weekend. On a global picture, the award sees the bridge join the likes of the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal and the Pyramid Fields of Egypt.

David Duffy, chief executive of Clydesdale Bank, said: "It's fantastic to see the Forth Bridge recognised on a global scale. It's an incredible feat of Victorian engineering, a Scottish - and now internationally recognised - icon.

"On behalf of Clydesdale Bank, I want to congratulate the Forth Bridge Forum on their successful nomination.

"In celebration of the bridge's heritage status, we will be introducing around £40 million of polymer £5 notes into circulation."

Clydesdale Bank is the largest issuer by volume of notes in Scotland.

The banknotes issued earlier this year were the first in Britain to be made entirely from polymer, which is less prone to tearing than paper.

UK Banknotes to Get Polymer Makeover
UK Banknotes to Get Polymer Makeover


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