News

The Bank of England is withdrawing the older style £20 notes that show a portrait of Sir Edward Elgar. Holders of these notes may continue to use them until the end of June 2010.

For several months after the end of June most banks, building societies and Post Offices will accept the Elgar £20 notes for deposit to customer accounts and for other customer transactions. However, agreeing to exchange notes is at the discretion of the individual institution. Only the Bank of England in London will be obliged to accept old-style notes after this date.

LAL will not accept £20 notes with Elgar's portrait after 30th June 2010.

Caroline Hamnett, Financial Administrator at LAL Torbay, commments that old notes are used surprisingly often. "Quite a lot of students bring old notes that they have been given by friends or which they have from a previous trip to England. We see some really old notes that have been out of circulation for nearly ten years. They look quite similar at a glance, but they are very different when you really look hard at them."

Students are advised to check that any currency given to them by family or friends, or from previous trips to England, is of the current design. A full list of current UK banknotes is printed in the Guide for students, and available on the Bank of England's website,
www.bankofengland.co.uk

LAL Torbay invites you to get involved in two festivals this month - the Sleuths! crime and thriller festival and the Pirate Weekend. We're organising special events for both festivals, and the Pirate Weekend even gives you the chance to break a world record!

Last year Brixham won the Guinness World Record for the largest number of pirates in one place, and this year it is hoped to set a new record again. Some of our staff wil be taking part, and we would love you to join them - so look out for more information later this month.