The British Beer and Pub Association, which has been sitting on a working group advising on the roll-out of the new fivers and tenners, urged pubs to ensure machines are updated and staff trained to recognise the new notes and their new security features.
A new £5 note will be issued by the Bank of England in September, and will be followed by a new £10 note in 2017 - and new £20 note by 2020.
Over three years one billion plastic notes are expected to be introduced, with 350 million fivers going into circulation this year.
Polymer
The new notes will be printed on polymer - which is cleaner, more durable, and more secure than paper – incorporating advanced security features that make them more difficult to counterfeit. Polymer is a thin and flexible plastic material that fits into wallets and purses just like paper notes.
The Bank of England will be unveiling the full design and security features for the new £5 note around three months before the issue date, and a range of training materials will be available.
Big Change
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive, comments: “This is a big change for banknotes, and we all need to be aware.
“The BBPA has been involved in a Bank of England working group, and advising on training tools for staff so pubs can be as prepared as possible for the new fiver in September.”
Support
The new notes are said to be more environmentally friendly, and cut production costs.
More than 25 other countries use plastic notes. A Bank of England survey found 87% of respondents were in favour of their introduction in the UK.