There is going to be a long-winded consultation period before a decision is taken by the Bank of England over whether plastic banknotes will be introduced into the UK.
Why? What is the point of opening up a huge debate on the subject instead of simply getting on with it?
I am aware of the fact that much of modern society is obsessed with being seen to be open to persuasion, but the reverse argument is that it just opens the doors for tree-hugging geeks to jump on the soap box.
In this case, the tree-huggers should be very quiet, in retrospect, as far fewer trees will be cut down to make banknotes.
All of the arguments, it seems to me, have been aired long ago. Plastic – the correct name, apparently is polymer – banknotes have been around for 30 years and are used in more than 30 countries. They are cleaner, greener and less costly than paper; and also harder to counterfeit. And the key people in our games and gaming industry who make money validation equipment all tell us that polymer bills are no problem.
So again, why the debate?
I think we can give either Costa Rica or Haiti, unlikely though it may sound, the credit for being first to use plastic bills in 1982. But I do remember in the early 1980s a friend of mine from the Isle of Man gave me one of their plastic bills and invited me to tear it up… I couldn’t.
I know that if you use them in a chip shop they tend to get tacky, but generally, the material is hardwearing, looks like paper but is virtually indestructible.
Message to the Bank of England (not that they will be moved by my entreaties): just get on with it.
I must try to find my IoM banknote. I am sure I still have it somewhere.
