Are Scottish notes legal tender and accepted in England?

[shane39 10]

The number of English people who visit Scotland in a year, is probably larger than the entire Scottish population; so everyone in Scotland will be very used to seeing English currency.

 

Conversely, though, I can't even remember the last time I saw a Scottish note here in Sheffield. It does not surprise me that shop assistants don't recognise them as valid currency; it is a little disappointing that their employers don't spend half a morning training them.

 

I really ought to throw a spanner in the works,and bring down some scottish £1 notes! That would get them panicking.

[HotPhil 10]

It would be bad training no matter what their rationale might be.

How? How can staff being trained to do something (not accept a particular type of payment more likely to be fraudulent than another) and the staff then putting that training into practice be "bad training"?

You may not think that policies designed to help protecting a business from potential fraud are correct, but the increasing number of businesses with similar policies would suggest that those whose bottom lines are directly affected do believe it's worth doing.

[anywebsite 10]

How? How can staff being trained to do something (not accept a particular type of payment more likely to be fraudulent than another) and the staff then putting that training into practice be "bad training"?

You may not think that policies designed to help protecting a business from potential fraud are correct, but the increasing number of businesses with similar policies would suggest that those whose bottom lines are directly affected do believe it's worth doing.

 

The big supermarkets are supposed to be all about customer service. They usually accept a certain level of fraud to keep their customers happy. For example you can take almost anything back for a refund for any reason, even without a receipt, shoplifters abuse it all the time, but if somebody decides to stop going to Asda because they wouldn't refund a bad item it costs them more in the long run. Same if they decide not to bother going back because they wont accept Scottish notes. Training staff to be rude to good customers & not accept their money is bad training, there's no way to argue it's good. Other businesses don't train their staff well either, I bet the business owner wouldn't turn down Scottish notes.

 

They shouldn't be turning away paying customers without any good reason, their margins should more than cover any risk of fraud & their staff training should allow their staff to recognise genuine notes. I expect it isn't actually part of Asda's official policy, if it is then it's a bad policy, if you sent an email to complain to their head office then the manager & staff would probably get a bit of training about it.

 

Do the self serve tills accept Scottish notes?

Edited July 13, 2012 by anywebsite

[HotPhil 10]

Training staff to be rude to good customers & not accept their money is bad training.

Being rude isn't acceptable. Maybe I just have more realistic expectations these days but I wouldn't expect to go into a shop and attempt to pay with another country's bank notes.

 

They shouldn't be turning away paying customers without any good reason,

I'd have thought presenting another country's bank notes as a means of payment was a good reason.

I expect it isn't actually part of Asda's official policy, if you sent an email to complain to their head office then the manager & staff would probably get a bit of training about it.

That would be a constructive thing to do.

Do the self serve tills accept Scottish notes?

A self-serve till is as familiar with one of type of note as it is with another that it has data for, so no difference in risk. So the customer could have just used a self-serve till. Or paid by card. Everyone's happy.

 

I wonder what happened to the totally cashless stores Tesco was piloting. I might check up on that.

[anywebsite 10]

Being rude isn't acceptable. Maybe I just have more realistic expectations these days but I wouldn't expect to go into a shop and attempt to pay with another country's bank notes.

 

I'd have thought presenting another country's bank notes as a means of payment was a good reason.

That would be a constructive thing to do.

 

A self-serve till is as familiar with one of type of note as it is with another that it has data for, so no difference in risk. So the customer could have just used a self-serve till. Or paid by card. Everyone's happy.

 

I wonder what happened to the totally cashless stores Tesco was piloting. I might check up on that.

 

They're still pounds, it's still in the UK. They don't complain if you use Irish Euros in France, etc.

 

I think their Scottish stores, ones closer to the border or in London aren't so fussy.

 

If you visit Scotland (or live in Scotland & visit England) you don't expect to have to spend all your money before you cross the border. It's not an independent country with it's own currency, you don't need to go to a bureaux de change, Scottish notes should be accepted all over the UK. I also accept money from Gibraltar, the Falklands, the Channel Islands & Isle of Man, they aren't even UK.

 

An hour's staff training & a few posters is all they need to be able to accept Scottish & NI notes.

 

Any shops have the right not to serve anybody they want for any reason (as long as it's not racist/sexist/etc), but they need customers to stay in business & those customers also have to right to go elsewhere.

Edited July 13, 2012 by anywebsite

[Cyclone 10]

The currency is GBP, and Scotland is part of GB. If you went in and tried to pay with USD or Euro then I could understand them being a bit short with you.

[HotPhil 10]

How many Scottish notes does the average person get/try to spend in a year? In most cases they could refuse to be given them in the first place. They can change them for free at their bank to totally rule out any problem of passing them on. Some shops wouldn't question accepting them. And most people would have an alternative form of payment if there was an issue. Or use a self-serve till. Or take their business elsewhere.

 

It's such a non-issue, it's hardly worth thinking about.

[Cyclecar 24]

Paid in at the bank yesterday, the one Scottish £20.00 was found to be a forgery. "Didn't it look odd?", said the bank clerk. I replied that all Scottish notes looked odd.

 

So we have bought one of those marker pens, only to be told that the fraudsters sometimes spray hair lacquer on the note, to circumvent the system.

 

We can either (a) refuse to take Scottish notes or (b) refuse to serve Scottish people. Advice, please.

[Cyclone 10]

Paid in at the bank yesterday, the one Scottish £20.00 was found to be a forgery. "Didn't it look odd?", said the bank clerk. I replied that all Scottish notes looked odd.

 

So we have bought one of those marker pens, only to be told that the fraudsters sometimes spray hair lacquer on the note, to circumvent the system.

 

We can either (a) refuse to take Scottish notes or (b) refuse to serve Scottish people. Advice, please.

 

English notes can be counterfeit as well, so will you be refusing to serve English people or accept English notes?

[Juanjo 10]

It's a tough one. You can refuse to accept them, as many shops do, and that would be my recommendation.

 

Re Cyclone's comments - yes, and there are probably more counterfeit English notes in circulation in this area, but because people are used to them, it is easier to spot.

People's unfamiliarity with Scottish notes (and particularly the different banks) makes it harder to tell if they're dodgy or not.

[sedith 19]

Paid in at the bank yesterday, the one Scottish £20.00 was found to be a forgery. "Didn't it look odd?", said the bank clerk. I replied that all Scottish notes looked odd.

 

So we have bought one of those marker pens, only to be told that the fraudsters sometimes spray hair lacquer on the note, to circumvent the system.

 

We can either (a) refuse to take Scottish notes or (b) refuse to serve Scottish people. Advice, please.

I wouldn't accept a Jock note in change, they are not legal tender in the UK anyway.

[monkey104 10]

Paid in at the bank yesterday, the one Scottish £20.00 was found to be a forgery. "Didn't it look odd?", said the bank clerk. I replied that all Scottish notes looked odd.

 

So we have bought one of those marker pens, only to be told that the fraudsters sometimes spray hair lacquer on the note, to circumvent the system.

 

We can either (a) refuse to take Scottish notes or (b) refuse to serve Scottish people. Advice, please.

 

Scottish notes are not legal tender!