Can I exchange Scottish Banknotes for English in London? Should I?
Mar 2, 2016, 7:16 am
#46
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Mar 3, 2016, 3:27 pm
#47
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Self-service checkouts in supermarkets will happily take Scottish notes (and give back English ones in change).
Most stores in London won't have a problem with Scottish notes anyway, though they are not obliged to accept them as previously mentioned.
Most banks will not want anything to do with you if you are not a customer, and it's unlikely you will be able to exchange Scottish for English notes.
Most stores in London won't have a problem with Scottish notes anyway, though they are not obliged to accept them as previously mentioned.
Most banks will not want anything to do with you if you are not a customer, and it's unlikely you will be able to exchange Scottish for English notes.
Mar 4, 2016, 4:45 am
#48
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I use Scottish notes in London a bunch, and yet I can't recall the last time it's caused me any problems when I've tried to use them there.
If I really wanted to exchange them for English pounds, I'd just have the hotel swap them for me.
If I really wanted to exchange them for English pounds, I'd just have the hotel swap them for me.
Mar 4, 2016, 7:06 am
#49
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Mar 4, 2016, 11:37 am
#50
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On our trip to London last May we took a couple of Scottish notes we had left over from our 2007 trip. I used them in two different places, asking first ("Do you mind taking a Scottish note?") Both places accepted them happily.
Unless you're trying to spend a large stack of them in one place, I doubt you will have many issues. The odd place may refuse them, but ask first so as not to impose.
Unless you're trying to spend a large stack of them in one place, I doubt you will have many issues. The odd place may refuse them, but ask first so as not to impose.
Mar 7, 2016, 4:50 am
#53
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Indeed they will because a machine has no prejudice. So long as it is a sterling note fully backed by a cash deposit at the central bank (Bank of England) - which all Scottish notes are - then there is no risk to the merchant.
Mar 18, 2016, 6:50 pm
#54
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Thats because the machines at Heathrow have 'recently' been upgraded to a new note accepting unit (they now also dispense notes), these new units accept Scottish notes whereas the old units still don't. They still wont accept £50 notes though, London Underground ticket offices used to be one of the best places to get rid of £50 notes until they closed!
Mar 18, 2016, 7:03 pm
#55
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Thats because the machines at Heathrow have 'recently' been upgraded to a new note accepting unit (they now also dispense notes), these new units accept Scottish notes whereas the old units still don't. They still wont accept £50 notes though, London Underground ticket offices used to be one of the best places to get rid of £50 notes until they closed!
Mar 19, 2016, 6:12 am
#57
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I work in Edinburgh and live in Portsmouth so I often have only Scottish notes in my purse. I very rarely have any problem using them, only one shop has ever outright refused to take them, which was frustrating as I had no BoE notes on me.
Apr 10, 2016, 1:17 am
#59
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You won't get one from an ATM. You may get one in change, particularly if someone would rather just get rid of it, but that's still relatively unlikely.
Apr 10, 2016, 3:07 am
#60
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Once someone apologised for not having any fivers and tried to give me 8 pound coins in change, although I saw a Scottish fiver in the till (which I eventually convinced him to give me)