Is it normal for a high st bank to refuse to exchange bank notes ?

I actually like £5 notes, and go to a machine that will dispense 1 or 2 notes for me. I do not carry much cash nowadays, there really is no need for it except for small cash purchases on Market Days in my town. I have a contactless card for larger purchases.



On the very rare occasions that I need a lot of cash, I either go to my branch, or to an ATM which I know will dispense £20 notes.


I think your question has been very comprehensively covered in this thread now.

TheShape wrote: »

In this country they're called Cash Machines;)

Not always they're not, it depends on the particular bank. Here in Yorkshire they're often referred to as minibanks, which is, or at least was, Yorkshire Bank's name for them.

High street Banking, especially that branch, with its luxury seating and decor, is meant to be a customer focused industry,

That says it all really. Non-customer complaining about service that he has neither paid or employed them to give.

I personally find the idea of "luxury seating and decor" in a bank to be hilarious, having worked in one it was a little more Argos Value than Harrods.

Back in my banking days, they ripped out the beautiful wood panelling, removed the large ornate statue of the bank logo (actually it was multiple versions of out date but still obvious). Covered up the ornate fireplace. Lowered the high ceilings. Removed all the furniture. Some of which would have had resale value in an antique shop. Proper wooden desks with leather chairs for the managers etc. Replaced with cheap furniture and cheap fittings. I pop in sometimes and it has had several more "updates" and each time seems to see less spent on the fittings and furniture. Today, it looks more like a temporary pop up shop in an empty unit waiting to be filled. Sort of sums up how the bank itself changed from the 80s to what it is today.

When I worked in a bank the cashiers till system was more complicated than I ever imagined.

If you wanted to do any transaction it kept a running total of all the notes and denominations in the till, Whats come in and whats gone out.

Simply chucking you 2 £20's and taking 4 £5's would require a transaction to be process so the till could balance at the end of the day. Without being a customer there is no-one to note this transaction against or if there is an error no-one to contact to rectify against an account (IF they missed 1 note to you or overpaid you) Also if your notes were fake etc etc etc.

Long and short is with modern day till systems & regulations it's not worth them doing these transactions and as a non-customer I don't really think you have grounds to moan.


You wouldn't kick off at Tesco for not changing the bread that Sainsburys gave you. Money is a product to banks and they treat it like one.

AstroTurtle wrote: »

Simply chucking you 2 £20's and taking 4 £5's would require a transaction to be process so the till could balance at the end of the day

Sorry but I’m in a pedantic mood. This would be good business for the bank but it ain’t gonna balance.