Two pints of decent lager is not far off £10 now in a lot of places. Throw in a packet of crisps and you're above the minimum spend on the first round

That is my impression too, although I have never studied it rigorously.

Another thing I have noticed in parts of continental Europe, especially Italy, is that shop-keepers often ask if you have anything smaller in situations where it would never have occurred to me that it might be a problem. For example, if the total is €8.50 and I give a €20 note, that would seem to me to be reasonable, but some shop-keepers seem surprised and expect a €10 note. (I have never encountered this attitude in the UK except when the shop-keeper is genuinely short of change, but that's a different matter.)

Recently in Russia and used a mainstream Rossiya Bank ATM at streetside to take money from my UK bank account. It offered values including RUR 5,000 (about GBP 105 or USD 168), which I selected.

It dispensed ONE 5,000 Russian Rouble note

Actually, I remember that from Russia, when I visited ages ago - but the machines then had a ridiculous variety of notes, right through from the most valuable to the least. So we ended up devising obscure sums that would get us just the right mix of banknotes to get by for the day (or at least not have the zhetony woman on the metro shout at us...)

Ah yes. "Adeen zheton pazhalst". My first ever words in Russian in public. The (future) Mrs WHBM was (slightly) impressed.

For better or for worse, I wound up with a bunch of £50s this week while visiting the UK. Not a problem to use any of them, at locations ranging from Burger King to Tesco. Always had the cashiers pull out the little pen to verify authenticity but the fact that they had the pen handy proves that £50s aren't all that uncommon.

It's pretty much default action when I arrive at an airport ATM to request an odd amount to ensure I don't get caught out like that. €190 or something like that.

I then jealously guard small notes and change as if my life depended on it - it always takes a couple of weeks after I get home to stop hoarding!

As for £50 notes. I honestly can't remember last time I saw one. I bought a car for cash earlier this year and tried to get Barclays to give me the amount in £50s (over the counter) but they didn't have any in stock

I'm sure they will eventually become commonplace, but I suspect it will take a bit of a drive to get them in circulation. People still think of them as exotic and difficult to get rid of (which they are). Bizzare, when the Eurozone has notes worth nearly ten times as much (albeit not in wide circulation).

The little pen validates all notes, not just £50. However they may have a procedure that they only validate higher-value notes.

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/bankn...out/faqs.htm#4

Oh, completely agree. It's just that in this case, the notes were (as an example, I don't remember the exact denominations): 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 - all in the same machine. So, plenty permutations!

I caught a glimpse of one today for the first time in nearly a year living here. I was checking out at the Sainsbury's Local at CLJ on my way back from LHR, and the guy next to me was getting cash back (I think). I think his cashier didn't have £50 in the till, but mine said he had a £50 note if the guy wanted it. He took it.

As a matter of courtesy it would be usual to offer a friendly apology if tendering £50 notes in such a way that you would be getting more than £30 in change. You're unlikely to have huge problems with them.

The last time i used a £50 note was a Primark . The checkout girl pressed had to get her supervisor to come and validate the note.. And there's me standing in a long queue as if I had handed over fake currency.

I have never had aproblem with £50 notes at M&S

I wouldn't say that taking £300 cash out in one go is common practice in the UK. It's not a country where people commonly carry large wads of cash.

£50 is my most common amount these days.

Neil