The Bank of England has today unveiled the new portrait of King Charles III that will appear on all banknote designs by 2024.
In what marks the historic transition from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III on the public’s money, the Bank of England has today released images of what the new banknotes featuring The King’s portrait soon set to enter circulation will look like.
The portrait of King Charles III will appear on existing designs of all four polymer banknotes (£5, £10, £20 and £50), the Bank of England has confirmed, reports The Manc.
There will be no other changes to the existing designs of the notes.
The King’s image will appear on the front of the banknotes, as well as in cameo in the see-through security window.
Today we unveiled the design of the King Charles III £5, £10, £20 and £50 banknotes. They are expected to enter circulation by mid-2024. You can continue to use polymer banknotes with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Visit our website for more details. https://t.co/i5eqAhxrKYpic.twitter.com/BkYTZ0VopZ
The change of monarch portrait on the country’s money is the first time since Queen Elizabeth II first appeared on the Bank of England’s banknotes in 1960.
The new notes are expected to enter circulation by mid-2024.
All polymer banknotes with the Queen’s portrait remain legal tender, and the public can continue to use these as normal, the Bank of England explains, and, in line with guidance from Buckingham Palace, new notes will only be printed to replace worn banknotes and to meet any overall increase in demand for banknotes.
The Bank of England says this decision is to “minimise the environmental and financial impact” of this change to new notes.
Image: Bank of England
This means notes featuring Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III will co-circulate.
The unveiling of the new notes comes after the first coins with King Charles III’s face on officially entered circulation a couple of weeks ago.
It also comes after it was announced yesterday that pubs across the UK may be able to extend their opening hours in honour of the King Charles III’s coronation in Spring 2023 – with a bank holiday weekend confirmed for 5, 6 and 7 May – with the Home Office said to be considering giving a “boost to local businesses”.
The Home Office said the change will give “an opportunity for our communities to come together and celebrate this historic moment, and support our hospitality industry”.
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Emily Sergeant -
20th December 2022 
