to think that the Scottish Highlands are in fact part of the UK mainland?

[Habbibu]

I've just ordered some spare parts for my coffee machine, and, on trying to find out more about shipping, read this: "Please note that as from today 26/01/2010 we now ONLY ship to the UK Mainland.

We no longer ship to southern or northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey,Isle of man, Scottish Highlands and Islands or anywhere outside of mainland UK.

This is due to the fact that shipping to these destinations has proved difficult and time consuming.

Please note that there are NO EXCEPTIONS to the rule, please do not E-mail us asking us about this as these mails will not be replied to."

Leaving aside the rather unfriendly and unhelpful nature of this note, plus the PITA it must be to those on the islands, since when was there a sea to cross to get to (say) Inverness? How is it so more difficult to get just that bit further up the A9? (well, yes, yes, I know, it can be a pain, but you get my point). Thankfully it doesn't affect me (though I have seen the odd place that won't deliver north of Edinburgh), but it's a massive pain for my ILs and others - who manage to get themselves up and down the road quite happily.

Largs has a Tesco metro now! Wow I didn't know that.

It has! Ooo, yes. We had to go in.

I also live in Moray and it does my tits right in. YANBU.

Oh, there's a big garden centre between Wemyss Bay and Largs, too. Like a Dobbie's, even!

We spent hours in there.

Mentioning Largs has made me want to go to Nardini's for ice cream.

Mmm, we went to Nardini's. Queue was out the door, but worth the wait!

Habbibu, there is a shop in Geroge street in Perth called The bean shop that also sells coffee machines. They might have spare parts.

McEwans in Perth sell Gaggia coffee machines, or at least they used to, not sure if they will sell spare parts though, but might be worth a try.

I can just about see Largs from here on a clear day lol. Used to work on a farm in Skelmorlie years ago.

I resent the Living in the Highlands Delivery Tax higher delivery charges too. What makes it worse is seeing couriers drive past my house every day.

When I was looking for a particular something for DS's birthday, one website had a page explaining that the reason for the higher charge was due to their contract with Parcelforce. Another website that I've bought stuff from for years now has a similar page too.

ISTM that some couriers must have a delivery deal for online businesses - make us your sole courier and now you can offer free delivery on orders over £50 BTW we'll charge you a lot for the postcodes we'd rather drop from the UK or something like that.

No Tescos here either.

Thing is, a lot of these people on here don't live in the Highlands.

I mean, Stirling?!

But Stirling is like, in the middle of nowhere!

.

expat IME there are a lot of people who have absolutely no clue about basic UK geography. Unfortunately a lot of these people work in jobs where a knowledge of geography would be a distinct advantage.

Oh is this where all the Scots are hanging oot?

Waves to fellow Fifers.

Hope you're not anywhere north of Dunfermline, Fanny, as you, too, could living the 'high' life, complete with surcharges.

Maybe we should start a campaign (says she who lives in Yorkshire). Get parcels to the highlands we could call it

we're near Nairn and ridiculously excited about getting a Sainsbo's next year. I also had a temp job in dispatch over Christmas and guess what? On a contract with Parcelforce it costs the company who is sending a parcel exactly the same to send it to mainland Scotland as it would to send it anywhere else in the UK.

I remember hearing about a London based company who sent some staff up to Shetland - flew them to Aberdeen, then wondered why the boat trip took hours, as according to the map the islands were only just off the coast of Aberdeen - numpties had been looking at one of the maps that has the cut out of Orkney and Shetland tucked unto the right hand corner . Cost them a fortune to get the staff back, as they refused to come back by boat .

Nooby - In fact Royal Mail charge the same to deliver to anywhere in the UK. Islands too.

I've had orders cancelled because companies won't deliver "offshore" but clearly state they use Royal Mail for delivery. Utterly ridiculous.

A bit off topic, but I'm sure we've all had that look you are given when you attempt to pay for something in England with a Scottish £20 note. I was once in Southampton with work and handed this over to a man who then went on to tell me that a Scottish £20 is worth less than an English £20.

I told him that a Scottish idiot isn't as stupid as an English idiot and walkded off.

Ah yes, the "You are a master forger" look?

I had a person on a checkout yell across a store to her boss "DO WE TAKE THESE FUNNY SCOTTISH NOTES?"

I told her to forget it and left. I now change all money to Bank of England notes before heading over the border.

The Michael McIntyre sketch where he says there is always a Scot on hand in these situations to say "I'll have you know, these notes are legal tenderrrrr" always makes me laugh .

North of Dunfermline alright but never been charged extra.
Scottish notes in England, grrrrrrrr

Several years ago, a pal of mine went on a long coach trip with his work. It was a holiday-thing that they had saved up for through the social club. After it had been paid for, there was a huge surplus which was shared out between everyone on the trip.

Every passenger was handed a wad of Scottish £20s and off they went. One of the first stops was for a comfort break at a service station south of the border. Soon there was a cue at the till of burly Dundonians with armfuls of chocolates, crisps, fizzy drinks and mags. (I imagine they were like locusts...)

The first bloke tried to pay with one of his £20s and was refused. He objected and insisted on seeing the manager.

The manager explained that they didn't accept Scottish notes. The lad then indicated his collegues behind him who waved their cash. One look at them and the manager told his staff to take the cash because "We can't afford to turn this amount of business away".