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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

138 replies

NotFromConcentrate · 15/09/2011 12:00

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)

OP posts:
Original poster
NotFromConcentrate · 15/09/2011 14:13

Lesley as someone who lives in Scotland and spends a lot of time in England, this "false sense of victimhood" is something I am yet to encounter. I also made quite clear in my subsequent post that the reason I was mortified was that I was made to feel like a fraudster by the staff in the shop. My children were not going to starve (presuming my BOS debit card was an acceptable way to pay), so there was no "victim", just a rather embarrassed me. Yes, I was annoyed, but the weld was not going to end and I wasn't suggesting some kind if vendetta against Scottish people. It wasn't a Scotland vs. England debate.

Perhaps people in Scotland would be put off the thought of you moving here in the future due to the massive sweeping generalisation you appear to wish to make about them. People in most countries, I imagine, get a little stroppy about other looking down their noses based on the odd person they may have encountered. I get sick of the halfwits in my office who ask every time I'm there if we eat fried Mars Bars every day. Yet I'm not bandying around the suggestion that all English people are thick enough to subscribe to these
Ridiculous stereotypes, nor would I be put off living in England because I know some idiots who happen to live there.

OP posts:
PreviouslyonLost · 15/09/2011 14:14

heCutOffTheirTails I have long been aware that some places in England do not like to accept unfamiliar banknotes, I'm neither here nor' there on whether it's disciminatory or not - OP mentioned that she was 'mortified', and it is embarassing to be treated in this way.

I shall paraphrase... 'they make take our tiny achievements, but they'll never take our money' Smile

PreviouslyonLost · 15/09/2011 14:15

May take Grin

Original poster
NotFromConcentrate · 15/09/2011 14:20

Not all people in Scotland are like that

Like what? The sort who'd be a bit embarrassed about her money being questioned in a shop?

As I said, I spend a lot of time in England and never give the perceived Scottish/English thing a second thought, which I probably why I was so taken aback that there was a question over Scottish notes.

OP posts:
JillySnooper · 15/09/2011 14:22

My racist Nationalist Scottish MIL deliberately brings Scottish notes with her. She then waves them aggressively in every shop or cafe demanding they are accepted. Once, someone did refuse and politely explained it wasn't legal tender. MIL nearly exploded, 'twas hilarious.

Her equally racist nationalist sister sends the children Scottish pound notes.

LadyBeagleEyes · 15/09/2011 14:25

Being a nationalist does not mean you're a racist you know. Confused.

Milsean · 15/09/2011 14:27

Irish money? Hmm Do you mean sterling notes from Northern Ireland.

Irish money is in Euros.

StrandedBear · 15/09/2011 14:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FannyFifer · 15/09/2011 14:31

FFS, being Nationalist is not Racist.

slavetofilofax · 15/09/2011 14:33

Previously - I have that teatowel! It has a picture of Robert Burns on it. It was given to me by a Scottish relative who seems to make a hobby out of all things English, which is really quite pathetic.

Oh, and it's not racism any more than not wanting to accept Rupees in England is racism.

ratspeaker · 15/09/2011 14:38

If I'm in England I always ask if they'll accept a Scottish note before ordering.
The nicest reply I has was a guy in Cornwall who said why not we're all Celts.
If they say no then I'll turn around and walk

tbh it's sometimes easier to take money out an atm down in England and get the local currency than have the hassle with the Scots notes

StrandedBear I'm sorry you got hassle, seems there's ignorance both sides of the border

I've been using English notes up here (had some left over from Reading festival ) and I've not had any funny looks

Kladdkaka · 15/09/2011 14:42

FFS, being Nationalist is not Racist.

It can be depending on which definition of nationalist you use.

SheCutOffTheirTails · 15/09/2011 14:42

It can't appear to be a form of racism unless you are wearing racism spectacles that make EVERYTHING look like a form of racism.

"Sorry, madam, we don't accept those banknotes in this establishment"

is not racism.

And if it makes you feel stupid for offering to pay with money they are unlikely to accept, that that's your own fault for not making sure you were carrying notes that were likely to be accepted.

LadyBeagleEyes · 15/09/2011 14:43

Personally, if the shop refused my Scottish money, I would go somewhere else.
Can small struggling business really afford to do this? I don't think it's racist though, just ignorant.

slavetofilofax · 15/09/2011 14:46

It's not ignorant if they don't legally have to accept them and choose not to!

borderslass · 15/09/2011 14:47

I've lived in Scotland for 25 years still get aggro trying to use Scottish money down England could understand years ago as it was often mixed up for Irish money which wasn't legal tender but they have Euros now. I was refused service 2 weeks ago in my home town as the boss of the shop wouldn't allow them was fuming.

JillySnooper · 15/09/2011 14:51

Fanny, I totally agree.

But MIL is a racist and hides it by calling herself a Nationalist Smile.

She is continually telling me my children aren't English as that's, " Just too depressing for words".

2rebecca · 15/09/2011 15:00

It is ignorant if a shop worker in England doesn't know if she can accept English money as in the OP.
That is totally different to knowing that all English banks will accept Scottish money in England when you hand the cash in at the end of the day and yet choosing for some strange reason not to accept it just because you can.
In the OP's situation the assistant didn't know whether she could accept scottish notes or not ie she was ignorant.

PreviouslyonLost · 15/09/2011 15:04

slavetofilofax...I only have the postcard...quite jealous of your teatowel! There's brammers in every walk of life tho'...not an uniquely Scottish trait. Send your relative something similarly useless and Made In England just to annoy them...Cath Kidston should do it Grin

StrandedBear truly sorry to hear that. A night out in Scotland is usually a thing of great beauty. Come play in the North West, we'll show you a very good time.

Eek, it's all got a bit 'Bannockburn' round here...OP said it was embarassing to be refused in a shop for having Scottish banknotes, after a quick swatch at the banknotes I have at the present time...it's 50/50 Scottish/English...and no-one's refused my proffered English notes EVER.

JillySnooper...not nice of MIL Sad I have a list of words you could casually drop into any conversation with her...Brammer being a good start.

Kladdkaka · 15/09/2011 15:06

But 2rebecca, the bank is also free to refuse to accept Scottish money, so the shop keeper may make a policy decision not to accept Scottish money on the basis that there is no guarantee it will be accepted.

lesley33 · 15/09/2011 15:19

Notfrom - I wasn't accusing you of victimhood - I don't think you have said anything that points to this. It was a response to another poster.

I didn't say all scots suffer from victimhood, because they don't. But I have come across scots, including in my own family, who do think like this.

MrSpoc · 15/09/2011 15:54

I think its Ok if your Scottish to call your self a Nationalist but try doing that if your English and you will be called a racist.

We do you need seperate money, Scottish Gas, Scottish Sun etc. Im all for patritism but surley "The Sun" and "Bristish Gas" covers the whole remit already.

Also it is NOT ignorant to question a Scottish bank note if your in England and you have never seen one before. This is on of lives lessons that you learn.

MrsBethel · 15/09/2011 16:00

There's a lot of ignorance on this thread. Gotta admit I thought Scottish notes were legal tender, but as various people have proved: they aren't. So like it or lump it.

It'd be a whole lot easier if they just took them out of circulation.

Is it really worth the expense and counterfeiting risk of having parallel notes? And for why - to bolster some fragile egos?

PreviouslyonLost · 15/09/2011 16:16

MrSpoc Do you really think that anyone up in the far freezing North has a say in naming The Scottish Sun or Scottish Gas? Or for that matter, The Scottish Daily Mail? Grin

MrSpoc · 15/09/2011 16:25

Im not sure if that is a joke or not but seems a bit nationalism gone mad to put Scottish in front of everything. Imagine the up roar if we re-named British Gas to English Gas. It should all be one as we are meant to be one nation. UK, British.

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