Wetherspoon has implemented a policy in its English pubs that prohibits the use of Scottish £20 and £50 notes, resulting in some customers being turned away. One elderly customer, Craig Neil, 72, from Troon, Ayrshire, recounted feeling embarrassed when attempting to pay with Scottish cash at two Newcastle pubs, the Mile Castle and Keel Row bar.
According to Neil, he was in the midst of a transaction for a pint of Carling when he handed over a £20 note, only to be informed that Scottish money was not accepted. He expressed his disbelief at the situation, stating that he had never encountered such a rejection in his 70 years of visiting Newcastle.
Wetherspoon justified this decision by citing a warning from the Bank of England about the circulation of counterfeit Scottish notes by criminal organizations. The ban, which was put in place in November of the previous year, does not extend to Scotland or certain areas with strong ties to Scotland.
In response to the influx of fake Scottish £20 notes, Wetherspoon decided to cease acceptance of these notes based on guidance from the Bank of England. The company clarified that the restriction does not affect Scotland or specific locations closely linked to Scotland. The decision regarding Scottish £50 notes follows the same rationale, and Wetherspoon stated that they will continually review this policy.
In a separate incident, a Wetherspoon customer, Adam Gale, successfully lobbied for the reinstatement of tuna as a menu item after it was removed from his local pub’s offerings. After expressing his disappointment to Wetherspoon’s founder, Tim Martin, Gale’s request was granted, and tuna was promptly reintroduced to the menu.
Wetherspoon’s swift response to customer feedback and adherence to anti-counterfeiting measures underscore the company’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of its operations and offerings.