Where UK Money Is Printed: Bank of England Sites at Debden (Essex) & Gateshead (Tyne & Wear)
The Bank of England (BoE) is the sole issuer of Bank of England banknotes in England & Wales. It operates two printing facilities:
| Site | Location | Primary Role | Since |
|---|
| Debden (Main) | Loughton, Essex (M25 corridor) | Banknote printing (all denominations), R&D, security features, numismatic | 1956 |
| Gateshead | Gateshead, Tyne & Wear (NE England) | Coin production (via Royal Mint contract), note finishing, contingency | 1990s (Mint site) |
Key Details
- Banknotes: Polymer (£5, £10, £20, £50) printed at Debden on De La Rue / Innovia substrate. Design, security features (windows, foil, holograms, raised print) developed in-house with partners.
- Coins: Struck by Royal Mint (Llantrisant, Wales) — BoE commissions & distributes. Gateshead handles some finishing/logistics.
- Cash Centers: BoE operates Cash Centres (Debden, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow) for wholesale distribution to commercial banks.
- Scotland/NI: Separate note issuance (BoS, RBS, Clydesdale / BoI, Danske, Ulster) — printed by De La Rue / Polymer at their UK sites.
Fun Facts
- Debden site = ~1.5B notes/year capacity.
- Old paper £20/£50 withdrawn Sept 2022 — polymer only now legal tender.
- BoE doesn't print for other countries (except some OTs historically).
- Visits: Bank of England Museum (Threadneedle St, London) — not the print works.
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