Boycotting Hawkins?
By jmitchell27 | Tuesday, December 29, 2009, 11:29
Yesterday the Gazette published the news that a Castle School teacher plans to boycott Hawkins hardware shop after they refused to accept a Scottish banknote as payment.
Alice Bentley, who has lived in Thornbury for twenty years, said "I am from Scotland so return four or five times a year to see family and in 20 years I have never had my Scottish money refused in Thornbury."
"I was shopping local as we are all encouraged to do and I was completely embarrassed by the incident. I don’t look like the type of person who would have forged notes."
However, it appears that Hawkins are well within their legal rights to refuse Scottish banknotes, which is not legal tender in England (though it can be accepted at the businesses discretion). Indeed, the reason given for refusing the money was the large number of forgeries in recent years. This is not uncommon, in fact only the week before Christmas I was in Dorset and spotted a business that clearly signposted its policy of refusal to accept Scottish tender.
Maybe if Hawkins had made their intentions clear from the offset (placing a sign at the stores entrance) this would not have become a local news issue. Either way, I hope they agree to accept the money in future or at least start making it clear that they will not trade with it.
Where do you stand on this issue? Have you have similar problems with Scottish or Irish money in the local area, or do you think Hawkins are in the right?
Comments
I have been a happy customer of Hawkins for nearly twenty five years and can only endorse the previous comment that the store is indeed 'a gem amongst shops'. Surely Hawkins are entitled to protect their business especially when forged notes have been known to crop up in the town? Incidentally, I too, had a similar experience in Broadmead some years ago and decided it was prudent to exchange currency from Scotland or Northern Ireland after holidaying there to avoid potential inconvenience or embarassment. Perhaps rather than boycotting a much valued small business it would be more sensible to support for the MP who proposed the bill which, had it succeeded, would have removed this anomaly over'different UK currencies'?
By annie12 at 14:54 on 04/01/10
ReportWhen I see family in Ireland I always find it easier to swap any Irish money I've accumulated with English notes that they have, that way there is no way I can have a problem when I get home.
By jmitchell27 at 13:49 on 01/01/10
ReportI don't know what proportion of businesses in England refuse Scottish notes, but I'd guess it is substantial. Certainly many holiday areas suffer from forgeries, probably because the design is less familiar. It is, after all, a 'foreign' currency - sorry all you Scots but you did choose to run with your own version. Hawkins are entitled to protect their business by refusing non--English notes. I doubt whether anyone in Thornbury accepts Euros either.
Hawkins is a gem amongst shops - if you want something that you can't eat or wear, they probably stock it. They have made a business decision and that's their perogative.
By StanMor at 20:50 on 31/12/09
Report