FAQ

Where can I get Lewes Pounds?

You can exchange sterling for Lewes Pounds – and vice-versa
You can ask for Lewes Pounds in your change
You can buy Lewes Pounds at The Lewes Pound Issuing Points:

Cheese Please, High Street
Depot, Pinwell Road
F. Richards & Sons Butcher, Western Road
Farmers Market (1st Sat of the month)
Harvey’s Brewery Shop, Cliffe
Lewes Town Hall
Poppy’s Chocolates, Riverside
Skylark, Needlemakers
The Patisserie, High Street

What’s so special about the Lewes Pound?

The Lewes Pound is a complementary currency, but it is also a powerful way to raise awareness about the way we spend money and the fact that a pound spent locally keeps building wealth as it circulates, instead of leaking out to the global economy. The Lewes Pound aims to build economic resilience and sustainability by supporting local businesses and producers, thus reducing our carbon footprint and encouraging local employment. We aim to celebrate Lewes, to promote social and economic inclusion and to contribute to solving wider environmental goals, particularly the climate emergency.

How do Lewes Pounds make a difference?

While the number of Lewes Pounds released is minimal compared to the size of the Lewes economy, it punches far above its weight since it continually circulates rather than sitting in a bank. A single Lewes Pound passes through far more hands – in exchange for goods and services – than a pound sterling, and remains in the local economy.

It is also a powerful marketing tool since it helps the residents of Lewes understand some of the challenges we are facing and the benefits of a focus on local resilience.

In the longer-term as more Lewes Pounds are released in the community they will have a much bigger impact. In the US county of Berkshare, for instance, which has a similar population size as Lewes, over $1.5 Million have been issued and the WIR in Switzerland is used by 16% of Swiss businesses.

How does the Lewes Pound support the Community?

In the past we have made donations to local organisations that share our aims like the Friday Food Market and Common Cause. More recently we have focussed on food banks. Following a bequest from our late trustee Colin Tingle and a grant from the town council we have been able to give out envelopes of Lewes pounds to customers of food banks prior to Christmas and Easter. They have been incredibly well-received enabling recipients to exercise just a little more agency over their own lives. We have also now set up a Donate-a-Drink scheme with the Depot Cinema in Lewes (we hope to expand to other businesses in due course). People using their café/restaurant can opt to pay an extra £3 to support a food bank customer. In due course this is passed on to the Lewes Pound and we arrange to give this out as envelopes of Lewes Pounds at food banks.

Are Lewes Pounds legal?

According to the Bank of England the Lewes Pound is a shopping voucher. As such it is not legal tender but based on trust. This means that although the notes are fully supported by sterling there is no obligation by the businesses to accept Lewes Pounds. They accept Lewes Pounds because they want to.

What is a Lewes Pound worth?

One Lewes Pound is worth one Pound Sterling.

Are they safe?

Each Lewes Pound note is printed on high security paper with watermarks, serial numbers and other hidden security features. We believe it would be very difficult to make fraudulent copies. Moreover businesses get to know their customers and would soon notice anybody threatening Lewes.

Where do I spend them?

You can spend the Lewes Pound in any of the participating outlets. These stores will indicate on their shop window whether they take the Lewes Pound. The participating stores are listed here. However, Lewes Pounds can also be used for any payments within the Lewes community if the recipient is willing to accept them. So feel free to use them to pay for any goods or services, as gifts or pocket money or any other way that seems to make sense! Be creative and have fun!!

How do you keep Lewes Pounds in circulation?

By using it!, You pay local traders, suppliers, employees or even friends; you can accept it as change; you can make charitable donations to local organisations, etc.. Monthly standing orders ensure that hundreds of Lewes Pounds circulate each month within local businesses. Shops are encouraged to pay their local suppliers with it as well as their employees if the employees are willing to accept it. This helps to create a circular economy.

Are Lewes Pounds going to replace sterling?

Lewes Pounds are a complementary currency, not an alternative currency. The aim of it is to ensure that we emphasise the availability and quality of locally produced goods and locally owned businesses, as a way of celebrating Lewes, its people and its economy, supporting social and economic inclusion and doing our bit to tackle climate change. They make you think!

What happens to sterling exchanged for Lewes Pounds?

We have an account with the East Sussex Credit Union. The Sterling ‘backing’ funds, which backs the Lewes Pounds 100% are held there. They are available should large numbers of Lewes Pounds be traded in, but meanwhile they form part of the fund the Credit Union can draw on to support local people with vital loans at low interest rates. We also have an account with the Co-operative bank for our day-to-day transactions.

How is the Lewes Pound run?

All the work done to date on the Lewes Pound has been volunteered. We are registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC) so we are a non-profit-making company. Any income goes into running the scheme or as donations to local good causes compatible with our aims. We have clear audit trails and we abide by the principles of Transition Town Lewes, which include transparency and collaboration.

How is the Lewes Pound initiative funded?

The Lewes Pound initiative is funded through support from local businesses, grants and Lewes Pounds bought by visitors to Lewes. Money from the sale of Lewes Pounds to people who do not intend to spend them but wish to keep them for their collectable or souvenir value is a valuable source of income to the project and supports Lewes.

Can I spend Lewes Pounds in chains?

No! According to research by the New Economics Foundation most money spent in chains or supermarkets leaves the local community. Whereas most money spent with local businesses stays local.

One regular subscriber used Lewes Pounds for his entire Housekeeping budget – refusing to step foot in any supermarket! We do recognise that there are some products that are more likely to be found in chains, but you would be surprised at the quantity and quality of products available in local shops. And contrary to popular belief, local shops are not necessarily more expensive.

Many Lewes Pounds are spent in the weekly Friday market and in the twice-monthly farmers market. This is a great way to cut down on food miles by eating local food and is a great way to support local growers and producers. Why not give it a try? A climate emergency means we all need to rethink our priorities.

Are there other local currencies?

Lewes is one of a growing number of communities creating their own currency. There’s nothing new about complementary currencies, and there are hundreds of them in circulation around the world. We are incubating ideas for Lewes and other communities to copy and adapt for their own community resilience during times of economic change. If you want to find out more we recommend a new book British Transition Town Money by Guy Singer. If you are in the UK and are interested in this book, please contact Guy Singer on guy@curiousbanknotes.co.uk. Guy accepts PayPal on this address and sells copies of the book for £17.99, secure post included. Overseas customers should purchase a copy through their appropriate Amazon store.

Why isolate ourselves?

We’re not isolating ourselves but we’re building resilience from the environmental and economic challenges ahead while strengthening our community. We still want to be part of the national and international community, while dealing with the realities of climate change and social exclusion

Why are Lewes Pounds time limited?

In the beginning this was because we were setting up a trial scheme over a fixed period. However it was clear – then and later – that many notes were leaving Lewes (often sent to friends and relatives elsewhere, but also being collected) and would never be exchanged back for sterling. This meant setting a date for the expiry of an issue so we could calculate how much ‘leakage’ there had been and use that money to carry on running the scheme rather than keeping it in the bank as backing money

How long are Lewes Pounds valid for?

The current Lewes Pounds are valid for five years until 31st August 2025.

What happens to Lewes Pounds that have expired?

You can exchange Lewes Pounds for the following edition within a year after the expiry date. After this time the money used to back the expired notes is used by the Lewes Pound for the benefit of Lewes and local community groups. The notes in effect become collectors’ items and souvenirs. Please contact The Lewes Pound if you need further assistance.