Nerdy Note Discussion: Scottish Bank Notes Aren’t Legal Tender...

dingbatdave

I for one would prefer that ALL notes are as printed as 'Bank of England' notes. I am sick sore and tired of going to England and Scotland and my Northern Irish notes being refused at point of sale, even though the Irish Republic is using the EURO.
I remember as a child, visiting a toy shop in Shetleston, in Glasgow and purchasing Lego. After leaving the shop and walking about 100 yards, I was pursued by the shop keeper who demanded that I pay with "proper money."
I hear you say, "That doesn't happen nowadays". Trust me when I tell you, IT DOES! however, I'm NOT buying as much Lego these days.......
It would be wonderful if the Banks stopped advertising on their notes- stopped costly printing of so many different notes and stick with the legal tender that is the Bank of England notes.
Oh! get over the I'm a Scot, a Welshman and Irishman nonsence, who actually cares what is printed in our pocket, as long as it remains, acceptable and STERLING.
Before any of you jump on the "EURO for all bandwagon", just look at the many different country conotations that are printed....

StuFos

I went to Serbia for 10 days last year with Scottish notes and couldn't get any banks to change them. You would think that being professionals, they would take the time to research UK currency and realise Scottish notes are perfectly legal! Idiots!

alanfp

I'm so pleased that this has been aired - it has cleared up a lot of things. I have always known that Scottish notes aren't legal tender anywhere, but I've never been able to convince anyone else before!!! Now I have the back-up.
The key point is that English notes are produced by THE Bank of England, whereas the Scottish notes are produced merely by some limited companies (have a look, and you will see the 'plc' after the issuer's name). That's the fundamental difference - Scottish notes are not really any different from cheque from, say, Bradford & Bingley plc. I suggest they would be worthless if , for example, Clydesadale Bank went bust - but hey, whoever heard of a private financial institution going bust!!!!
Not too surprising that they aren't accepted universally (or , I should say, 'globally' as I can't answer for Mars yet).

A.Jones

alibalibee2 wrote: »

My mum also had great difficulty changing them at the Barclays branch!!!!

You need to make a complaint to their head office about this, if the bank is refusing to change them.

oscar52

My Auntie has problems now and again when she comes down - has been accused before of using "funny money":rotfl: I myself if I have had scottish notes have had no problem. The last time it was two clydesdale notes and all the cashier said was "not seen them before" but happy accepted them after a five second glance over.

However I do remember looking this up quite a while ago (cos i was arguing with the relatives) and apparently (cos i dont know the validity of the info) scottish notes dont have to be accepted south of the border, but equally so, english notes dont have to be accepted north of the border - but most shops (with educated staff) do.

Anyway, just to stoke the flames with the family, i told them all currency in scotland wasnt really legal as it had Queen Liz II on the coins/some of notes and as Queen Liz I never reigned in scotland, queen Liz wasnt actually the second there.

Thats when I had to pretty much run for cover.

jonnyboy122

I used to like trying to spend the Clydesdale notes in England & Wales to see the reactions!

I was once given an St Helena £1 coin in my change when I lived in Cardiff (at the time the boat to Ascension and St Helena went from Barry Docks). It's not 1 to 1 (today 1 St. Helena Pound (SHP) = 0.88688 British Pound (GBP)) so I was ripped off ! I kept it for rareity value though...

Welsh_Banker

There is no problem with any shopkeeper depositing Scottish, Northern Ireland, Channel Island, or even Gibraltar notes with the major clearing Banks - I work for RBS Group and we accept them like any English notes. You need to take care though as you are more likely to get stuck with a counterfeit note as you have nothing to compare them with normally and there was a particular problem with Bank of Scotland £50 notes, until they came out with a new version last year. You are not safe from dodgy notes though with English notes - particularly the new varaint £20 notes and there has been a huge rise in numbers seen over the last six months so BEWARE!!!!

garyrjb

merikiito wrote: »

There is no mention of Northern Ireland? Just England and Wales???
Are Northern Irish notes legal tender in England?

I can sympathise on this one a family member sent me a NI £10 note I couldnt spend it anywhere. He got it back for Christmas!!!

But also my friend from NI went into a bank and tried to cash a cheque and was asked to show his passport because he was foreign!!! so a rough deal all round to you guys and you would imagine a bank clerk to have some degree of education (unlike me, before Im told about my grammar or spelling)

System

The only time i had problems with Scottish notes was in Suffolk. Went to the restaurant - It was one of those type that you pick what drinks, food etc with a tray and pay before you sit down. Got to end, and the cashier wouldn't take my £30 of BoS notes. So we left it all, and they had to bin it. Could have paid with Switch, but that was more dramatic.

:rotfl:

Anyway, the bank note thing must be a 'Union Dividend' :rolleyes:
Along with illegal wars, loss of oil revenue and buying a duff bank...

Debra_from_Hull

I'm a checkout manager in a supermarket (in England) and happily accept all Scottish and Northern Irish notes. Cashiers will ask my opinion just to make sure.
I never give back those notes to others in their change, English people just don't like the hassle of trying to use them. Which I find rediculous anyway.

However last year, we were given two fake Scottish £50 notes which were so bad they just looked photocopied! Because the cashier hadn't seen a Scottish £50 before, she just accepted them.