[bloak]

> Old paper £50 notes will still be accepted in shops for some time.

I find that amusing because I suspect that in practice not many shops accept them. It's hard for me to know because despite having lived in the UK for about half a century I've never had a £50 note.

Perhaps they have a plan to bring the new £50 notes into use. If today's cash machines only have the hardware to dispense two kinds of note they could replace the 20s with 50s. But inflation is low and cash is generally on the way out, so probably not, I would guess.

[hnlmorg]

I have carried £50 notes (and accepted £50 notes when I had jobs while studying) and the only occasions I've seen them refused is when there wasn't enough change in the cash register.

Scottish and other non-English sterling is another matter. Despite being legal tender in England, smaller shops don't see it frequently enough to want to take the risk handling them.

[Milner08]

Im like 80% sure Scottish notes are not Legal tender even in Scotland. Legal tender has a fairly narrow definition. They are accepted, and legal, but not 'legal tender'... Well that was my understanding at least. There is also no obligation for shops to accept _any_ notes as far as I know. Especially when they have no idea how to tell if they're legit (Scottish notes are incredibly rare in England and Wales).

[Lio]

(Not a lawyer but from my 1 module at uni) I belive that you are correct on both counts. Scottish bank notes are NOT legal tender anywhere and on one has to accept them except the issuing retail bank.[1]

So retailers can reject them for the same reason as when you see something labelled with the wrong price. The shop keeper is under no obligation to sell it to you for that price.

What you actually see is a reference for you, the customer, to initiate an offer to buy something at that price.

If the shop keeper doesn't like the look or you money or the price your offering he can reject the deal.

As far as legal tender goes that only applies to the settling of debts and a retailer could reject an offer to sell they don't like even if you do offer legal tender.

Even Bank of England copper coins are only legal tender up to something like the value of 20p. So you can't take a truck load of copper coins to your landlord to pay for rent in arrears.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banknotes_of_Scotland

[hnlmorg]

I never said there was a legal obligation for shops to accept notes. My point was that most shops will generally accept £50 notes (because why would a shop refuse payment?) so long as they have the float.

The point about Scottish notes not being legal tender is a surprise. Thanks for the correction there.