To think a major bank should know where Belfast is? And NOT convert a cheque from Northern Ireland to EURO before paying the equivalent in POUNDS into my account?

[QuintessentialShadows]

They cant correct the mistake as they need confirmation that Belfast is in Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland is part of the UK.


I dont know HOW MANY ways I can say that I am utterly speechless.

[thumbwitch]

any news yet QS?

[nervousal]

interesting that of the 8 banks above 4 are Northern Irish?

[thumbwitch]

ah, have just been reading Bank of England notes about this, and then Wikipedia - interesting. So shopkeepers CAN refuse notes that are not BofE issue, as they are not "legal tender", but it is unreasonable of them to do so because they still have the same face value as the BofE notes.

If I get any now, I just put them into the bank rather than trying to persuade local idiots shop people that they are good to use.

[cremolafoam]

Bank of England
Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
Clydesdale Bank
Bank of Ireland
First Trust Bank
Northern Bank
Ulster Bank

The pound is the official currency of the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies of Britain and three British Overseas Territories. In these areas, seven retail banks have the right to print their own banknotes in addition to the Bank of England and the dependency and territorial governments.

[legalalien]

also interesting - English bank notes are not legal tender in Scotland (but English coins are)

[whoops]

I think part of the problem with scottish notes was that apparently they were easier to forge
We seem to take English notes that can be forged though

[Iklboo]

The bank that shall not be named are rather crap at direct debits too. ANy problems we have with our clients are ALWAYS from the bank that we haven't named (ahem)

[Cies]

Really cirlesquare? How interesting...

Very for you QS.

[circlesquare]

Irritating and useless fact of the day - Scottish and Northern Irish notes aren't legal tender anywhere, not even in Scotland and Northern Ireland. They are accepted by convention. But the same is true of debit and credit cards.

I say this is irritating as since I found this out I've found it a lot harder to insist that places outside Scotland take my notes. Which they should, just as much as they'd accept my Visa card.

[jamescagney]

i worked in london in a pub in Waterloo we did not "accept" Scottish money and as I'm Irish, I sympathised with the customers (all Gaels together etc).
I couldn't open a bloody bank account while there and had to put all my savings from uni in the pub safe. Every bank looked at me like I was the Uni bomber every time I opened my mouth. (the red hair was also a bit of a give away) I used to storm away muttering dark curses in Irish.

[QuintessentialShadows]

I had to send it to my local branch in London, as I am currently in Norway.

[ruddynorah]

how has this happened? did you hand it in over the counter in a branch? or did you send it off for processing or what?

[Darlingcocolepew]

When my dad goes to England he refuses to chage banknotes to English notes as he prefers to argue .

[cremolafoam]

for you quint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[QuintessentialShadows]

I just spoke to them again, if I have not heard from them by the end of the week, please do call again so we can chase.... grrrr

[thumbwitch]

ah that's what i was afraid of - my bank too.

[QuintessentialShadows]

I came off the phone totally gobsmacked.
She kept insisting it was in Euro.
I said "Look, I happen to have the cheque in front of me, I made a photocopy before banking it, have you even SEEN it? No of course she hadnt, and she couldnt bring it up on the system, they would have to refer it to another team, they would call me in 3-4 days....

The bank has already been named by hanaflower in the second post.

[giraffescantdancethetango]

YANNNNNNNBU thats utterly rediculas, they need an atlas I think.

I've had the not taking scottish notes in england before, was a taxi driver and he refused it, I said well you either take that or you aren't getting paid cos I have nothing else! Was nothing wrong with it!

[mayorquimby]

the geographical ignorance of some people is unbelievable though.
i don't mind correcting people when i am in some far flung corner of the earth like america/asia/australia that ireland is not part of britain.
but the amount of english people i meet who think ireland is part of britain is unbelievable.

i'd imagine everyone has this to do with something for their own country but that is the one i notice most as i'm irish so you always encounter it.

[cremolafoam]

THis is one of my big rage inducers
Ni has sterling and is part of the UK
what utter bollocks
contact the ombudsman and complain bitterly
The Ulster Bank is a British Bank FFS

Lived for years in England and had this problem all the fucking time.It has been features on talk radio here for years and STILL people are witless. I have had stand up rows in England with BOOts alliance and Leicester, starbucks, B&Q M&S the list goes on.

[mayorquimby]

ah sorry for that. misread it and got confused obviously.
still utterly appalling.

[thumbwitch]

QS - it can't be libel if it is true. go on, give us a hint - how many letters in the name?

[thumbwitch]

i have actually had a refusal on Scottish notes in England before - and worse, I have seen a sign in a shop stating that they WON'T take Scottish notes! which is ridiculous of course as they are legal tender here just as much as English notes and ni notes!

[QuintessentialShadows]

The cheque came from Ulster bank.
My bank is a local and global bank which I will refrain from naming due to libel.