Exeter pound to launch new note

The Exeter Pound is launching a new £E4.50 note on the Quay on Saturday 30th July from 12 noon to mark the 450th anniversary of the Exeter Ship Canal.

The new note will arrive at the Quay by boat having travelled along the ship canal from the Double Locks carried by a Tudor merchant in the costume of 1566 when the ship canal first opened. The merchant will in fact be Martyn Goss, a Director of the Exeter Pound. The new note will be presented to the Lord Mayor of Exeter in the Custom House.

The Exeter Quay and Canal Trust is a partner in the project to introduce the £E4.50 note, which will be in circulation until the end of 2016.

The Chair of the Exeter Pound Board Gill Westcott said: ‘The 450th anniversary of the Exeter Canal is a milestone in the city's rich history, and we are delighted to mark it with this unique new note.

Exeter is very proud of its heritage, and that pride is manifested in the growing use of its own local currency, which is helping to build a stronger local economy and a better connected community.’

Exeter Ship Canal, Britain's oldest pound-lock canal, is a key part of the city's heritage.
Opened in 1566, it was used to transport goods in and out of the city and helped make Exeter one of the most prosperous places in the country. Today it remains an active waterway, mainly for leisure purposes and is a beautiful part of Exeter's landscape.
The note’s two images reflect the history and present day use of the Quay. ‘Exeter Canal below Exeter Cathedral’ by Arthur Henry Enoch is part of the collection of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) and features in their current Quay exhibition. ‘The Quay Cellars’ by local artist Matthew Rogers reflects the commercial and leisure uses of the ship canal today.

A number of independent businesses on the Quay trade using the Exeter Pound. There are now 155 businesses that are part of the scheme.