...to complain about "Scottish money" fiasco?

[NotFromConcentrate]

I probably am BU, but i was mortified.


At the weekend, my DH and I took the children to Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester, and stayed over the night before. We took a trip to the Trafford Centre, and the children chose McDonald's for dinner. When I paid, I handed over a Bank of Scotland £20 note. The cashier asked if I had any "English money" and, when I told her I didn't, she said she didn't think she could accept Scottish money.

The place was packed, but I asked her to check that with her manager. She then had a shouted conversation with him from one end of the counter to the other, discussing whether my cash was sterling and did it have a metal strip. I was absolutely mortified, and furious.

AIBU to complain on principle?

(I work throughout the UK and have never experienced this before)

[Kladdkaka]

Also banknotes issued by the Bank of England are promisory notes issued on behalf of the government (treasury). Bank of Scotland notes are promisory notes issued on behalf of the bank. They are regulated by the Bank of England but some still see them as risky when compared to Bank of England notes.

[sjuperwolef]

english people may not know scottish notes - is there a class at school i missed about what english notes look like? in scotland we are still expected to accept english notes even tho some people may not recognise them. it can be classed as a form of racism albeit a mild form.

[sjuperwolef]

the proposition of not accepting money as it is scottish can appear racist and certainly standing in a packed shop etc being told your money is no good can make that appearance all the more real.

[droves]

lol at forgery in scottish notes as a reason to refuse !

There is a wonderful forgery detecting machine ....you shove the note under it and if its forged it will show up . Its a light.

There are also pens that when used on a real note stay invisable ink, on a forgery they go black/blue ink.

Find another excuse.

England has never forgiven Scotland for being cooler, inventing haggis and shortbread and kilts ...thats why you wont take our money !

[sjuperwolef]

we also created the bank of england

[PreviouslyonLost]

The average Englishman, in the home he calls his castle, slips into his national costume, a shabby raincoat, patented by chemist Charles Macintosh from Glasgow, Scotland. En route to his office he strides along the English lane, surfaced by John Macadam of Ayr, Scotland. He drives an English car fitted with tyres invented by John Boyd Dunlop of Dreghorn, Scotland, arrives at the station and boards a train, the forerunner of which was a steam engine, invented by James Watt of Greenock, Scotland. He then pours himself a cup of coffee from a thermos flask, the latter invented by Dewar, a Scotsman from Kincardine-on-Forth.

At the office he receives the mail bearing adhesive stamps invented by James Chalmers of Dundee, Scotland.

During the day he uses the telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell, born in Edinburgh, Scotland.

At home in the evening his daughter pedals her bicycle invented by Kirkpatrick Macmillan, blacksmith of Dumfries, Scotland.

He watches the news on his television, an invention of John Logie Baird of Helensburgh, Scotland, and hears an item about the U.S. Navy, founded by John Paul Jones of Kirkbean, Scotland.

He has by now been reminded too much of Scotland and in desperation he picks up the Bible only to find that the first man mentioned in the good book is a Scot, King James VI, who authorised its translation.

Nowhere can an Englishman turn to escape the ingenuity of the Scots.

He could take to drink, but the Scots make the best in the world.

He could take a rifle and end it all but the breech-loading rifle was invented by Captain Patrick of Pitfours, Scotland.

If he escapes death, he might then find himself on an operating table injected with penicillin, which was discovered by Alexander Fleming of Darvel, Scotland, and given an anaesthetic, which was discovered by Sir James Young Simpson of Bathgate, Scotland.

Out of the anaesthetic, he would find no comfort in learning he was as safe as the Bank of England founded by William Paterson of Dumfries, Scotland.

Perhaps his only remaining hope would be to get a transfusion of guid Scottish blood which would entitle him to ask "Wha?s Like Us".

[droves]

@ sjuperwolef !

[PreviouslyonLost]

^^ was for sjuperwolef...knew I'd hear the Bank of England thing before.

[SheCutOffTheirTails]

It can't be classed as racism in any form, you are being ridiculous.

And also incredibly obnoxious to people who suffer ACTUAL racism.

Bank of England notes are not "English" money.

And the notes issued by Scottish banks are not "Scottish" money. They are notes issued by private banks. They are commonly accepted in Scotland, but not in England or Wales, and not (usually) in Northern Ireland either, although people here are less likely to look askance at them.

And forgery is a real fear. If you are from England where there is ONE note for each denomination, you are not going to be accepting of notes from a system where each bank issues its own notes. It's confusing to people unfamiliar with it.

[lesley33]

People in England know what English notes look like because they use them every day!

The cheap forgery detection systems and pens are not totally effective. They pick up some forgeries but not all. Which is why where I live at the moment most small shops refuse to accept £50 notes. There are £50 notes in ciculation which apparently can't be detected using cheap anti forgery equipment.

I wouldn't accept Irish notes in my change as I have no idea what they look like and whether what I have been given is kosher.

The big shops like ASDA are quite happy to accept Scottish and Irish notes.

The false sense of victimhood from Scottish people is one of the things that really puts me off living in Scotland in the future.

I have been told for example, when I explain the Balfour funding system that I have swallowed tory propaganda - when all I am doing is explaining facts, that saying Glasgow was the area with the highest numbers of murders in the UK was anti scottish propoganda - has come down recently with good inter agency and police work, etc. This claim to victimhood when it is not justified really annoys me.

[sjuperwolef]

i have sufferd actual racism and dont think i am being ridiculous or obnoxious at all actually. perhaps the day it happens to you in scotland and you feel the overwhelming sense of superiority from those around looking down on you you will feel differently.

[SheCutOffTheirTails]

Jesus, that is so embarrassing Previously.

I thought Irish people were chippy, but that is like a big long tract saying

"Scotland is shit. We are inferior, and we really feel it."

It's weird, I've lived in Scotland, and have never come across that kind of complex amongst my Scottish friends. I have always thought of Scotland as incredibly cool and was fully aware of many those achievements, but now they all seem so tiny in their little list of boastfulness

[sjuperwolef]

yep us scots make the world go round but arent appreciated for it PoL we are a bunch of self pityers and worst of all ive got to move back down south in a few weeks hence my scots pride being provoked...

[SheCutOffTheirTails]

"perhaps the day it happens to you in scotland and you feel the overwhelming sense of superiority from those around looking down on you you will feel differently."

You mean the way there are people in West Scotland who would look down on me because I'm an Irish Catholic?

That's what you want for me because I actually understand the way Scottish and NI currency works?

Nice.

[lesley33]

As previously said I was born and raised in Scotland.

[sjuperwolef]

you think that i am wishing racism on you? really?! im incredulous to the thinking that goes into your posts i really am..

[PreviouslyonLost]

SheCutOffTheirTails as far as I know it's available on a T-towel.
I was reminded by sjuperwolef of something, and posted it...no inferiority complex needed.

I've had one (embarassing) experience of having Scottish Bank notes refused...and have never taken them with me again.

[lesley33]

I am sure some people suffer discrimination in England because they are Scottish. Personally I have lived in England for over 20 years and the only comments I have ever heard is people complimenting me on my accent and saying how lovely Scotland is.

I have though heard people saying anti English stuff in Scotland.

Luckily not all scots are like this or complain inaccurately about Scotland being discriminated against. Where there is genuine discrimination this is wrong. But honestly most people are not discriminating against you if they refuse to accept Scottish notes in England.

[sjuperwolef]

theres a wee shop in my city centre PoL that sells all the scots regalia including the tea towels i love it and they sell proper rock ..

[PreviouslyonLost]

SheCutOffTheirTails ah, you're talking about the Rangers/Celtic bollocks...truly awful and a blight on the West Coast of Scotland indeed.

[aftereight]

As an aside, I was once offered a lower exchange rate abroad for Scottish notes than for my English ones. I was bemused.

[SheCutOffTheirTails]

"i have sufferd actual racism... perhaps the day it happens to you in scotland and you feel the overwhelming sense of superiority from those around looking down on you you will feel differently"

What was that supposed to mean then?

If not that you were looking forward to the day I would suffer "actual racism" in Scotland.

Which of course, is not unlikely is it? If I went into the wrong bar, or was wearing the wrong type of football top.

[PreviouslyonLost]

...and I TRULY believe that the Scots DON'T hate the English, we just hate the TORY party!

[SheCutOffTheirTails]

Actually, I find it quite easy to believe that Scottish people discriminated against in England.

I just don't think that the fact that the banknotes of private Scottish banks being refused in England has anything to do with it.

[sjuperwolef]

yes of coarse, i will sit here pining for the day you are treated in a racially abusive manner over bank notes as so many scottish people are on a regular basis but are too embarrassed to stand up and say that they feel prejudiced against. also i said it can appear to be a form of racism..