The Brixton Pound (B£) is money that sticks to Brixton. It’s designed to support Brixton businesses and encourage local trade and production. It’s a complementary currency, working alongside (not replacing) pounds sterling, for use by independent local shops and traders. The B£ is the UK’s first local currency in an urban area and the fourth transition town to have its own currency, following the Totnes Pound in Devon, Lewes Pound in Sussex and Stroud Pound in Gloucestershire. Launched in 2009 as a cash-based scheme with four notes (B£1, B£5, B£10 and B£20), the scheme was extended in Sept 2011 with an innovative mobile payment scheme "Pay by text", which allows businesses and customers to transact with only a mobile phone and SMS. Some 200 businesses are now part of the scheme, which is used by thousands of local residents.