Money exchange

[Hammerhead]

Could anyone tell me if the exchange shops have coins,i need to change a five pound note to five £1 coins
Thanks

[Laura B]

I should think it's highly unlikely Hh. So far as I'm aware coins are not exchangeable in a bank so no way an exchange shop would have them.

[benjaminbutton]

There might be someone who has come back from UK with some coins who can help you, but I can't think why they would want a 5 sterling note though. It's hard to spend cash back in UK I understand.

[Hammerhead]

Sorted now

[Brend]

No problem at all spending cash in Britain.

[benjaminbutton]

When I was back in UK in July, it was only cash in very small shops, and even most of them would prefer "touch and go" cards. Said they felt safer not having cash on site. Seemed a bit strange to begin with.

[a1sysman]

…lt's hard to spend cash back in UK I understand.

Turn up with a suitcase of cash and an eyebrow may be raised. Otherwise, in UK, cash is happily accepted.

[benjaminbutton]

Oh well, obviously I shopped in the wrong places.

[Dalartokat]

Oh well, obviously I shopped in the wrong places.

Not necessarily, it’s been flip flopping for quite a while. During the pandemic people were using contactless, as encouraged by the banks. People were doing transactions over the phone for takeaways, pubs creating all sorts of ways to sell food and drink etc. and paying with their debit/credit cards. It flipped again during the rise in cost of living and people realised they could budget more with cash, have control and bargain more.

Some businesses before Xmas became card only and others have gone cash only. This is because they are also budgeting and cannot afford the card machines. There was an increase in the cost of them after the pandemic. You had hairdressers, nail bars, takeaway restaurants etc. putting signs up cash only, that way they keep some of their bills down artificially, which becomes illegal. It works for people both ways. There’s a lot of people in U.K. who won’t have bank accounts for various reasons and pensioners who still insist using cash. DWP will not pay pensions into the Post Office anymore, with few exceptions.

Think you were just unlucky.

[forestpixie]

Oh well, obviously I shopped in the wrong places.

There were parts of North London we couldn't park in as we only had cash. Also some of the shops and restaurants at Luton airport were card only.

We sat through a very dry theatre performance as we didn't have a card to even buy a bottle of water.

When in UK check if cash is accepted before doing anything!!

[Brend]

Is this a North South divide? Never had an instance of not being able to use cash apart from when you order anything by phone or on line and some City center car parks.

[benjaminbutton]

I think forestpixie is spot on. I actually had to leave a lovely winter coat in a shop in Cambridge because their accounting system quite literally was not set up for cash. There was no point in my being miffed as there were a couple of signs (which I hadn't noticed) and the Manager was extremely apologetic. Apparently the system had been operating for months and months. I even had to use contactless in Newmarket in a Boots, coffee bars/bistros and two car parks. .

Plus if you don't hang on tightly to your Debit/Credit card here, there are some Supermarkets who click on their bank machines and the first you know they've done it, is when you're handed the receipt. Brend I can't comment on the North/South divide sorry, but I did think for one minute you were referring to Cyprus.!!

[forestpixie]

Is this a North South divide? Never had an instance of not being able to use cash apart from when you order anything by phone or on line and some City center car parks.

No idea never went South!