Wetherspoons Stops Accepting Scottish £20 and £50 Notes in Most English Pubs

Published: 03 September ‘2025. the English Chronicle Desk

JD Wetherspoon, the UK pub chain, has announced that most of its locations across England will no longer accept Scottish £20 and £50 notes, citing concerns over counterfeit currency linked to organised crime. The move affects the majority of English pubs in the chain, although locations with “close links” to Scotland and pubs situated in Scotland will continue to accept the notes.

Spokesman Eddie Gershon explained that the Bank of England had alerted the company in October last year to a significant number of fake Scottish £20 notes entering circulation. “Advice was given on identifying counterfeit notes, with a warning not to accept any if there was doubt,” Gershon said. “The warning, combined with a noticeable increase in the receipt of fake notes in pubs, led us to make the decision in late November not to accept Scottish £20 notes. Scottish £50 notes are treated similarly for the same reasons.”

Although the decision has been in effect since November 2024, it was not widely publicised at the time. The matter came to broader attention only after an increase in customer complaints about being unable to use Scottish currency in English Wetherspoons pubs.

The policy has drawn criticism from consumer advocates. Martin Quinn, spokesperson for Campaign for Cash, expressed concern over the move. “Chains should implement checks to detect counterfeit notes rather than refusing them outright. All notes now include sophisticated security features, making them far more secure than older paper notes. It is inconvenient for people holding Scottish or Northern Irish notes if they cannot spend them, effectively making them worthless unless they return to Scotland,” he told Sky News.

Despite the controversy, Wetherspoons has reported positive financial performance. In its latest trading update, the pub chain recorded a 5.1 per cent increase in sales for the three months ending 20 July, compared with the same period last year. Sales volumes have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels, reflecting a robust recovery across its estate.

Gershon highlighted that growth was supported by a rebound in breakfast sales and strong draught beer performance, particularly for Guinness. The company also noted that it expects to meet its profit forecasts for the year, even while navigating higher operating costs following Labour’s autumn 2024 adjustments to employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage increases.

The decision to stop accepting Scottish notes underscores ongoing challenges faced by large retail and hospitality chains in managing counterfeit currency risks, balancing customer convenience with financial security.