If you live in Scotland order your English £s in advance

rannoch

The last time I tried to exchange Scottish notes in an English bank I was refused. Abbey in Carlisle.

It's time to scrap Scottish notes.

CG19a

Only Bank of England notes worth less than £5 are legal tender in Scotland, and since there aren't any of these anymore, Bank of England notes are not legal tender in Scotland.

Pink_fluff

Bloody ridiculous. Nobody in Scotland would turn their nose up at an English note. So why does it happen with Scottish notes in England?

vikingaero

Pink_fluff wrote: »

Bloody ridiculous. Nobody in Scotland would turn their nose up at an English note. So why does it happen with Scottish notes in England?

Simply because most people in the Deep South are not familiar with Scottish notes. And not long ago a significant number of shops were scammed by fake Scottish notes.

Even though I regularly use Sterling, if you gave me a Sterling note and ask me to check if it was counterfeit then apart from the basic parts of the metal strip and hologram I would struggle.

inspector_monkfish

rannoch wrote: »

A tale of woe ...

In preparation for a couple of days in England, and to give a present to someone while there, I tried to exchange Scottish bank notes for English bank notes.

Today, I tried to exchange Scottish bank notes in FIVE high street banks - Abbey (where I have an account), Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Bank of Scotland, and Alliance & Leicester. I live in Ayr.

Abbey asked to see proof that I had an account - bank card, but then said they had no English notes.
They advised me to go to the Barclays ATM where they issued English notes, draw out the amount I wanted, and then go back to Abbey and deposit the original Scottish notes.

I duly withdrew cash at Barclays only to find they were all Scottish notes. I then went to the teller, and told him the problem. Response was "have you an account with us", answer no - response sorry, and then after a couple of exchanges - don'ta have any English notes.

Next stop. Lloyds TSB. Same story - do you have an account with us". No. Sorry. I heard the cashier laughing as I left.

Then, Bank of Scotland. Do you have an account with us. Yes an ISA. Sorry it needs to be an account I can deposit your Scottish notes, and then withdraw in English notes.

Then Alliance and Leicester. Without looking the teller said she had no English notes.

Final stop was Thomas Cook Bureau de Change, no problem sir will it be OK with a couple of fifties.

I really wish that we didn't need banks. Impression - tellers completely unhelpful, and in some cases just lazy. Maybe they are on an "unhelpfulness bonus".

Message is, if you live in Scotland and intend to holiday in England - order your English notes in advance as its harder to get UK currency than it is to get Euros or Dollars.

its all part of the masterplan to keep the scots on their side of Hadrian's wall....;)

Blakespops

vikingaero wrote: »

Simply because most people in the Deep South are not familiar with Scottish notes. And not long ago a significant number of shops were scammed by fake Scottish notes.

Even though I regularly use Sterling, if you gave me a Sterling note and ask me to check if it was counterfeit then apart from the basic parts of the metal strip and hologram I would struggle.

English notes are backed by the gold reserve, scottish ones are printed by the banks themselves so if BOS was to have failed all their notes would have been worthless.

Well thats how my bank explained it to me

angelicmary85

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Err is this a joke?
Scottish notes are legal tender in England, y'know?

Hi guys, new to this thread but can I add my 2 cents?

I don't think it's called legal tender but 'legal currency' (I'm sure MSE posted a wee thing about that on his homepage at some point a long time ago!) and it's a nightmare trying to spend Scottish notes in England!! When I visit OH's family, I don't take any cash with me, just use the ATM's down there.

whatusername

Im positive this thread is here just to get me started.

I travel regularly south of the border with Scottish notes and have only ever had them knocked back in one place, Ipswich and by jesus what a scene i made when that happened.

On the whole to keep the blood pressure down it's best using cash points south of the border and then get real money when you come back to the promised land.

Indout96

English notes are backed by the gold reserve

I thought Gordon Brown sold all our gold for 10p

Skint_Catt

vikingaero wrote: »

Even though I regularly use Sterling, if you gave me a Sterling note and ask me to check if it was counterfeit then apart from the basic parts of the metal strip and hologram I would struggle.

A trick we were taught when I worked in a pub.

Get your note.

On the head side is a coloured 'shape' with ER written in it (orange diamond on £10 note, bluey green circle on a £5 and from memory a purple triangle on a £20). Turn the note over and rub this 'shape' onto white paper.

Now I was told that if some of the colour rubs off onto the white paper then the note is genuine.

Though if this were true both notes in my purse seem to be fake :rolleyes:

We only did this to £20's in the pub and I do remember the purple coming off.