£50 notes

[gtr-gaz]

Why is it so hard to spend these?

Surely, the fakes are as easy to spot as £20 notes.

I can understand it if you just want to buy a packet of crisps or something but, we had a meal at a popular resturant chain the other night which came to about £35. Would they take a £50, no.
Ended up paying by card, but what would have happened if I didn't have a card with me?

[prand]

Has happened to me too, and it is most annoying. I would have thought that £50s are teh least copied of all as they come under so much scrutiny. Anyway, £50 is not "worth" that much nowadays either, so what's the problem?!

[guru_1071]

gtr-gaz said:

Why is it so hard to spend these?

Surely, the fakes are as easy to spot as £20 notes.

I can understand it if you just want to buy a packet of crisps or something but, we had a meal at a popular resturant chain the other night which came to about £35. Would they take a £50, no.
Ended up paying by card, but what would have happened if I didn't have a card with me?

marigolds.........

[tom g]

gtr-gaz said:

Why is it so hard to spend these?

Surely, the fakes are as easy to spot as £20 notes.

I can understand it if you just want to buy a packet of crisps or something but, we had a meal at a popular resturant chain the other night which came to about £35. Would they take a £50, no.
Ended up paying by card, but what would have happened if I didn't have a card with me?

it's legal tender, so as far as I'm aware, they're obliged to accept a £50 note - were you informed that they don;t accept £50 notes before your meal? I would have said take it or leave it

[mouseymousey]

The only places I ever seem to get fifties from is a bookies or a casino.

They are the easiest places to spend them as well

[MoleVision]

I never understand that either.. surely if its legal tender and they cant prove otherwise they dont have a choice?

[rescynic]

Have had this problem before with Scottish money (not just the fifties) i ended up leaving the money on a table in a restaurant in london and walking out. (with the management and waiting staff threatning to call the police, my response was "Go ahead, the moneies on the table"

[ALawson]

tom g said:

gtr-gaz said:

Why is it so hard to spend these?

Surely, the fakes are as easy to spot as £20 notes.

I can understand it if you just want to buy a packet of crisps or something but, we had a meal at a popular resturant chain the other night which came to about £35. Would they take a £50, no.
Ended up paying by card, but what would have happened if I didn't have a card with me?

it's legal tender, so as far as I'm aware, they're obliged to accept a £50 note - were you informed that they don;t accept £50 notes before your meal? I would have said take it or leave it

Completely agree, if they refused to take £50 notes I wouldn't pay unless it was clearly stated somewhere on the menu.

[TheEnd]

Yep, since it's legal tender, that have no right to refuse it, so you'd be well within your rights to say take it or leave it.
I'd like to see them call the cops on that one.

[jas xjr]

i have a small business and we accept £50 notes,people do ask if its ok to use them. my philosophy is never say no to a £50 note,as long as its genuine obviously

[Chilli]

If we get more than £200 out of the cash machines in the office building, you get given at least 2 £50's. Useless, hardly anyone will take them during normal spending habits. Trying to buy fags etc and they look at you like you just printed it.

[Nolar Dog]

ALawson said:

Completely agree, if they refused to take £50 notes I wouldn't pay unless it was clearly stated somewhere on the menu.

Where do I stand if it "disclaims" on the menu/a sign that they don't acceot £50 notes but I want to pay with them.

I've eaten and only have 50's on me. I offer it but they refuse.
I can't just leave it on the table and walk as out I want the change.

What happens next?

[carter711]

If you said take it or leave it on a £35 meal, how would you get your £15 change?

[prand]

I would have thought if you spojke reasonably to the manager they would see some sort of sense. If it came to it, I'm sure if you showed ID and left an address for them to come and get you if you have handed over fake notes.

A complete joke either way.

[gib6933]

This it exactly why i like to save them up, because they are so had to spend.

[mouseymousey]

Nolar Dog said:

ALawson said:

Completely agree, if they refused to take £50 notes I wouldn't pay unless it was clearly stated somewhere on the menu.

Where do I stand if it "disclaims" on the menu/a sign that they don't acceot £50 notes but I want to pay with them.

I've eaten and only have 50's on me. I offer it but they refuse.
I can't just leave it on the table and walk as out I want the change.

What happens next?

You'd be in a spot of bother I suspect. It's only legal tender to settle a debt, at the time you read the menu there is no debt so you're getting into a contract knowing that you can't fulfil your side of it.

Also, under the legal tender act, the person to whom you pay the debt has no obligation to give you change.

[Martial Arts Man]

It is illogical isn't it.

I mean, if someone can't tell the difference between a fake and real note, why does the denomination matter?

If one did have access to fake notes, why on earth would you make fifties unless you only had one roll of paper. You wouldn't. You'd make loads of fivers, tens and twenties.

A man with a money printer is a rare thing I believe; anyway, reminds me of a classic scam by one of histor's greatest con-men:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Lustig

[turbobloke]

There was a thread on this on SP&L some time ago iirc, where plod and other informed souls said that legal tender means nothing about a shop or trader's compulsion to accept anything. Again iirc. The Bank of England has a duty to do so as they write on the notes, but they don't sell pizzas.

[wolves_wanderer]

TheEnd said:

Yep, since it's legal tender, that have no right to refuse it, so you'd be well within your rights to say take it or leave it.
I'd like to see them call the cops on that one.

wrong. Legal tender regs only apply to the settlement of a debt. If a business doesn't want to take £50s, Scottish money or anything else they are quite within their rights. It is for you to decide whether you want to do business with them on those terms.

Edit to say: I don't understand the problem as the £50 is the easiest note to spot a forgery anyway

Edited by wolves_wanderer on Monday 30th March 17:37

[turbobloke]

wolves_wanderer said:

TheEnd said:

Yep, since it's legal tender, that have no right to refuse it, so you'd be well within your rights to say take it or leave it.
I'd like to see them call the cops on that one.

wrong. Legal tender regs only apply to the settlement of a debt.

That was it!