Business

Bank of Ireland's new polymer £20 note goes into circulation

Ian Sheppard, managing director NI at Bank of Ireland UK. Photo: Kelvin Boyes/PressEye
Ian Sheppard, managing director NI at Bank of Ireland UK. Photo: Kelvin Boyes/PressEye Ian Sheppard, managing director NI at Bank of Ireland UK. Photo: Kelvin Boyes/PressEye

BANK of Ireland's new polymer £20 banknote, featuring an image of the iconic Old Bushmills Distillery, will go into circulation across the north from July 20.

It includes enhanced security features including a holographic stripe and a clear window, and it also includes a shiny, iridescent area of ink which changes colour as you tilt it.

The note, which bears the signature of Bank of Ireland group chief executive Francesca McDonagh, also incorporates a tactile feature of dots arrangements, enabling physical identification for the visually impaired.

Ian Sheppard, the bank's Northern Ireland managing director, said: “We remain at the forefront of banknote design technology and have committed to polymer notes because they are cleaner, more durable, more environmentally friendly and more secure.

“When we released our £5 and £10 polymer banknotes last year, it was the single biggest change to our banknotes in Northern Ireland in living memory, and our switch from paper to polymer is an example of our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of consumers as well as the environment.”

A date for the withdrawal of the bank's paper £20 notes has yet to be announced.