Shops have to accept the old £10 note.

[runwalkrun]

A small business was reluctant to accept my old £10 note yesterday.
They took it in the end, they had to, because I didn't have any other money on me.
Am I right in thinking that any business, whether big or small are still legally obliged to accept these notes, because they are still legal tender?

At least until 1 March 2018?

They are legal tender until 1st March 2018,but it is at the discretion of the shop whether they accept it or not. Most will,I've never had one yet that won't accept one,nor have I heard of anyone having one refused.

londonrach

Really i never knew that i work on a checkout for a large store we still give and accept them as thet are legal tender for another 3 months no customers requested a new one in there change nor have i declined a old one. Im baffled now lol xx

But nowhere in England has to accept scottish notes... Scottish banknotes aren't legal tender in the UK. Legal Tender means nothing anyway. It's an outdated term. No tender has to be accepted in a shop (only for a debt eg a taxi or a meal out)

We haven't been told we can't give them out as change...is that a real instruction anywhere?

I work in a cafe , and have never been advised that I can’t give an old £10 note back as change

Is there a link anyone could give to show this is true ?

Yet another difficulty for a small rural business if so

I own 2 cash businesses, not seen anywhere that I shouldn't give old tenners as change...?@

I've googled researched and I cannot find any evidence that paper £10 notes cannot be given in change yet.

Willing to accept any reasonable proof if anyone has it.

Sorry I didn't mean that to sound snarky or sarky! Just I would be interested if anyone has been told that it's not ok to give out in change.

I work with cash daily and also would like some proof its true as im sure its not :)
Even with the old £5 notes we were accepting them until last day but out of courtesy stopped handing them out a couoke of weeks before x

Since you say it was a small business, chances are the till operator - who could well be the owner - got mixed up. The 'Darwin' £10 is still in circulation until the 1st of March. Although they'll become less and less common, shops should still accept them.

But as mentioned a shop can choose what payment they want to accept. Or refuse to sell to you at all for any non-discriminatory reason.

The not giving out old £10 notes as change thing is specific to individual businesses, as opposed to law.

Some informative replies.
Think I'll take them to the bank.

Shops don't have to take your money; they are not legally obliged to.

And the shop you mentioned in your OP didn't have to take your old £10; they could easily have refused and you would have had to make alternative arrangements about buying the goods (use card or go to the nearest cash machine) or not buy them at all.