Scottish banknotes

The Welsh Assembly Government is concerned that visiors to Wales from Scotland may be experiencing problems when trying to spend their scottish banknotes.

They say:

"We occasionally receive complaints from our Scottish visitors that a vendor they have encountered during their holiday has refused to accept banknotes issued by the Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland or Clydesdale Bank.

"While we have no doubt that the majority of businesses are accepting Scottish notes, clearly some are not. Obviously, this causes a great deal of embarrassment and annoyance for visitors.

"Without wishing to go into the complexities of ‘legal tender’ and its definition, it is important to stress that Scottish banknotes are of equal value to their sterling counterparts, and they are perfectly acceptable and valid as payment for goods and services. Whilst businesses are not under any legal obligation to accept them (no more than cheques, credit cards or high-denomination sterling banknotes for a low-value purchase), there is no issue over their validity as a form of payment."

The Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers provides full information on the banknotes currently in circulation, including images and advice on security features. As you may not see Scottish notes that frequently, this infromation may be useful. Images for all denominations of notes issued by all three Scottish banks can be found on the CSCB website at http://www.scotbanks.org.uk/banknote_denominations.php