THE REMOVAL of British composer Edward Elgar from the £20 (R229) note was a "national disgrace" as it left the arts unrepresented on bank notes, a university music professor said on Tuesday.
The Bank of England has been phasing out Elgar since 2007, gradually replacing him on the £20 note with 18th century economist Adam Smith. He was finally set to be withdrawn from circulation yesterday. Almost 60 percent of notes in circulation in Britain are £20 notes.
Elgar, an early 20th century composer, had featured on the note for 11 years. "Edward Elgar is an iconic figure and a fitting symbol of artistic inspiration in England," said Jeremy Dibble, a music professor at Durham University. - Reuters