{
  "id": 12802097,
  "title": "Next UK banknotes to feature barn owls, bumblebees, puffins and hedgehogs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/next-uk-banknotes-to-feature-barn-owls-bumblebees-puffins-and",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-08T04:00:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/08/uk-banknotes-new-design-barn-owl-bumblebee-puffin-hedgehog"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Bank of England has unveiled its plans to feature four native species on the upcoming series of UK banknotes, selected after extensive public consultation. These animals encompass a range of categories, with the buff-tailed bumblebee, barn owl, European hedgehog, and Atlantic puffin being the chosen representatives. The public was asked to select from 18 options, divided into three groups, with bees, barn owls, puffins, and hedgehogs emerging as the most popular choices. The Bank aims to highlight the UK's diverse wildlife, while also enhancing the security of the banknotes. However, the final placement of each species on the notes remains uncertain. The decision to replace historical figures like Winston Churchill and Jane Austen sparked controversy, with some accusing the Bank of erasing history, while others praised the shift towards showcasing nature. The Atlantic puffin, known for its colorful beak, is classified as vulnerable due to declining numbers.",
  "summary": "Four native species selected after consultation, but which one adorns which note is yet to be decided Bees, barn owls, puffins and hedgehogs have been picked to feature on the next generation of banknotes, the Bank of England has announced. The quartet of creatures were selected after a large-scale consultation settled on wild animals as the theme, with members of the public then asked to pick…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}