Northern Ireland Sterling

gavmcfad

I am going to London from Donegal next weekend. I believe that most shops wont accept Norhern Ireland sterling. Will my bank charge me for exchanging Northern Ireland stg for English stg? I will need around 400, would i need to order it in advance?
Thanks

colonel-yum-yum

gavmcfad wrote: »

I am going to London from Donegal next weekend. I believe that most shops wont accept Norhern Ireland sterling. Will my bank charge me for exchanging Northern Ireland stg for English stg? I will need around 400, would i need to order it in advance?
Thanks

If it's around 400, you might need to give them a days notice, but I've never been charged for changing it. If you are stuck with some before you leave, I'd suggest changing it into euro. I've never had an issue in England changing up euros, but hand them a northern note and they look at you like you have 2 heads!

muffler

Cant really see a problem with the bank changing it especially if you have an account with them.

getz

gavmcfad wrote: »

I am going to London from Donegal next weekend. I believe that most shops wont accept Norhern Ireland sterling. Will my bank charge me for exchanging Northern Ireland stg for English stg? I will need around 400, would i need to order it in advance?
Thanks

as long as the bank notes have sterling on them ,they are legal tender in the UK,smaller shops may not want to except them as customers dont want them as change,[like scottish notes ] so just drop into the nearest bank [when arriving in london] and change them into english notes,you will have no problem with coins though.

irish_goat

getz wrote: »

as long as the bank notes have sterling on them ,they are legal tender in the UK,smaller shops may not want to except them as customers dont want them as change,[like scottish notes ] so just drop into the nearest bank [when arriving in london] and change them into english notes,you will have no problem with coins though.

That's not actually true. It's only Bank of England notes that are legal tender.

Most places accept them now. It used to be that English people assumed that Northern Irish notes where in fact Irish Punts but the Euro has gotten rid of that notion mainly.

Like said, change in the bank either in beforehand in NI or when you get to London. Or just use your ATM card when you get over there.

colonel-yum-yum

getz wrote: »

as long as the bank notes have sterling on them ,they are legal tender in the UK,smaller shops may not want to except them as customers dont want them as change,[like scottish notes ] so just drop into the nearest bank [when arriving in london] and change them into english notes,you will have no problem with coins though.

I've worked on this basis before, and went into a few banks and was told I needed an account with them to change it into English sterling! Yet any bureau de change would change euros for me (albeit with a charge) .

getz

my wife works for ASDA [near blackpool] and they are told that as long as it has stirling on the notes they have to except them, UK.answers.yahoo.com >...>travel>other-ireland says they are legal tender in the mainland-as long as they are stirling...promise to pay the bearer the sum of £x stirling, but i now have to agree many places in england have never seen a scottish or irish note, we get lots of scottish notes around blackpool.

theblueirish

what I do is offer the northern Ireland notes for payment, only then if they dont accept them (which is very rare nowdays) will i use whatever Bank of England notes I have. If you have £20 Bank of England notes check that they don't have a picture of Elgar on them, they will def not be accepted in shops, only banks will take them

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/banking/7397202/Elgar-20-note-no-longer-legal-tender.html

muffler

On a couple of trips to Manchester in the last year I never had any problems with NI notes. In fairness most of the notes would have been used at the bar in the hotel where we stayed and they are used to that as they have bus loads of MU supporters over regularly who stay there

danjo

You can buy sterling from selected Post Offices commission free.
See Link

Richard

gavmcfad wrote: »

I am going to London from Donegal next weekend. I believe that most shops wont accept Norhern Ireland sterling. Will my bank charge me for exchanging Northern Ireland stg for English stg? I will need around 400, would i need to order it in advance?
Thanks

Do you have the sterling already, or are you getting it in NI between now and then? If you're getting it in NI, some ATMs dispense Bank of England notes. Try an ATM from one of the non local banks, i.e. not Northern, Ulster, BoI or First Trust.

Not sure whether this'd be cheaper than using your card in England, however.

If you're exchanging notes you already have, you might find a bank in NI that would change them for free, especially if you bank with them. Phone them up.

cosanostra

It can be quite hard to get "queens head" sterling you might need to order it with your bank or you could get what you can and when you get to england go into any bank and they will change it free of charge

just don't give them one of these

getz

muffler wrote: »

On a couple of trips to Manchester in the last year I never had any problems with NI notes. In fairness most of the notes would have been used at the bar in the hotel where we stayed and they are used to that as they have bus loads of MU supporters over regularly who stay there

the only problem op may get is in the local pubs or shops,simply because local customers are reluctant to except them in their change,strange as it may seem english notes are not a legal tender in northern ireland,yet i have yet to hear of them being refused there.

muffler

getz wrote: »

the only problem op may get is in the local pubs or shops,simply because local customers are reluctant to except them in their change,strange as it may seem english notes are not a legal tender in northern ireland,yet i have yet to hear of them being refused there.

Aye, good point.

saywhatyousee

I have changed Northern notes for English notes loads of times in Ulster bank Sligo and i was never charged commission go to your nearest Ulster bank branch.

Firblog

muffler wrote: »

On a couple of trips to Manchester in the last year.......... bus loads of MU supporters over regularly who stay there

Ah much has been explained..

muffler

Firblog wrote: »

Ah much has been explained..

And thats why I cant make the beers next Friday night. I will however be propping up a bar counter in Manchester and spending those NI notes