Musings from the Merse
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Ambivalent Ber wick #2
Be warned. Shell Petrol Station on Berwick upon Tweed, England is living dangerously. It gives succour to a Nationwide ATM which dispenses, wait for it, SCOTTISH NOTES. A bit of petty nationalism by the Nationwide cash dispenser filler, one assumes, a rabid SNP groupee. What harm? I hear you cry. None, Sir, if you are heading North, across the wild frontier beyond Sir Morrisons, and into Scotland Proper (No oxymoron intended)But going south, Beware. South of Geordie land you will find it increasingly difficult to have Scots money taken seriously. In Lunnon, no chance. Once arguing about an alleged underpayment on First Capital Connect, I proferred a note to be allowed to avoid a swingeing fine and a possible Criminal Record: in that the alleged miscreant was travelling on a Zone 5 area with a Zone 4 travel card. The Gauleiter looked at my tastefully blue Scottish Five Pound note and said, with some scorn: 'we don't take that here' ' It is legal tender I said, Clydesdale Bank, no less*,' ' Sorry Mate we only accept British currency'
AS the train was pulling into Palmers Green I had to find something less ethnic so as to not miss our stop. But I managed to point out as my Parthian shot: Scotland is still in Britain.
When I last looked anyhow'
A line I might not be able to use much longer if the Salmond Tendency have their way.
* On reflection 'Clydesdale Bank' may lack gravitas. Sounds more like a sort of horse but their money is pretty enough
Labels: Scottish money
Comments:
Go to http://www.weeklygripe.co.uk/a177.asp
And richard havers is quite right about Scottish money not being kosher in England
And richard havers is quite right about Scottish money not being kosher in England
And he's correct about the status of Scottish notes in Scotland - the Currency and Bank Notes Act (1954) specifies that only Bank of England notes with a face value of less than five pounds is acceptable as legal tender in Scotland.... since there are no longer monetised notes that fit the bill (since the demonetisation of the Bank of England £1 note in 1988) there is no note that remains legal tender in Scotland.
Luckily the £1, £2 & £5 coins are legal tender to any amount, so you can pay the milko with those (and indeed your council tax at SBC should you feel the need to pay your council tax in full in person in Newtown St. Boswells and wish to make a name for yourself in the Berwickshire).
Apropos being refused the ability to pay using Scottish notes, some while ago I was in a well-known supermarket (with aspirations of opening a branch in a Tweedside town in the Borders - the branch in question also near a border - with Wales) and proffered a Bank of Scotland £20 note in settlement of the bill, which was duly scrutinised more thoroughly than a crime scene by the checkout staff, before she announced "I'm sorry we don't take Sterling". Being the international gent I am, I whipped out a €50 note and offered that in it's place. Chaos ensued, supervisors were summoned and I ended up with the shopping for free whilst the growing queue in the 10 items aisle grew restless. Subsequent visits have not had the same effect - even with various notes from Norn Iron.
Luckily the £1, £2 & £5 coins are legal tender to any amount, so you can pay the milko with those (and indeed your council tax at SBC should you feel the need to pay your council tax in full in person in Newtown St. Boswells and wish to make a name for yourself in the Berwickshire).
Apropos being refused the ability to pay using Scottish notes, some while ago I was in a well-known supermarket (with aspirations of opening a branch in a Tweedside town in the Borders - the branch in question also near a border - with Wales) and proffered a Bank of Scotland £20 note in settlement of the bill, which was duly scrutinised more thoroughly than a crime scene by the checkout staff, before she announced "I'm sorry we don't take Sterling". Being the international gent I am, I whipped out a €50 note and offered that in it's place. Chaos ensued, supervisors were summoned and I ended up with the shopping for free whilst the growing queue in the 10 items aisle grew restless. Subsequent visits have not had the same effect - even with various notes from Norn Iron.
In Aberwystwyth once I was not served as I could not speak Welsh-I produced a £20 note and the service was immediate and servile. That's globalisation for you.
Boyo
Boyo
I see the Lib Dem Crew are taking up the cause.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7203378.stm
Entirely due to this blog I'm sure.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7203378.stm
Entirely due to this blog I'm sure.
