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Is It Right for Stores to Refuse Cash?

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Have you ever been told you can't pay in cash somewhere?

A video has gone viral showing a woman attempting to pay for drinks with a £20 note but being refused.

SamGoodship
7 months ago
What do you think of this?+20 points
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sallylester1

Yes I have a couple of times. The excuse I have been given is that the local banks are closed so hard for them to do the banking, I do understand this but as a customer it's not always convenient. I like to use cash

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EmmaWright762

This is awful, it's the legal tender for our Country. Does the British identity mean nothing these days? Before you know it will have credit/debit cards with images of the Prime Minister on them rather than our Kings or Queens on Notes and Coins. This really is too much.

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Pjran

During the pandemic lots of store only accepted card payments and they’ve not gone back to cash. So many banks have closed so I don’t suppose bars want to keep too much cash on the premises.

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JLouM

We don’t refuse cash but if I don’t have the change I let them know. It’s not so easy these days without the banks for change. Especially if it’s early in the day.

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jms19

It would be annoying but for me it would be down to the type of shop it was. If it was an independent one then i wouldn’t grumble, however if it was a big supermarket or something i would be a bit put out.

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Jerseydrew

It's crazy. We should be able to use cash if we want. I prefer card but like the choice

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Ricky6981

Seen the video. The assistant manager handled it brilliantly. The woman trying to pay just sounded like an entitled Karen. She ain't suing anyone.

Regardless of it being a legal tender or not, it's not against the law to refuse cash and take card payment only.

Some places refuse to take the Scottish note even though it's legal tender.

Some places are cashless in the UK now and I think moving forward more and more business will go cashless.

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jam45

Ricky6981 Maybe the manager doesn't trust his staff to handle cash, or they have to pay an accountant/cashier to add up the money or it is not safe for them to have cash on their premises.

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Ricky6981

jam45 could be any or all of those. Whatever it was, she was just doing her job. She doesn't own the pub. There was no need for the woman to be like that.

If you don't like it, go to Tesco, get some cans, pay with your £20 note and drink at home.

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fowler1981

Ricky6981 Scottish notes aren’t legal tender. They aren’t even legal tender in Scotland. Have a read of the Bank of England website.

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RegularComper91

I don't think it's either right or wrong. It should be up to the store. If someone doesn't like it they can always go elsewhere.

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Ricky6981

RegularComper91 100% Agree 👍🏽

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DeBunny

RegularComper91 I agree but I'd want it known before I choose to enter the store. So having it on the entrance would be super useful.

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martinlufc5637

We went to cafe in Bridlington last year, they said card only no cash, we walked back out and went somewhere else

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Ricky6981

martinlufc5637 this was the best way to do it. Not make a massive deal about and threaten to sue the poor girl who was just doing her job.

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martinlufc5637

Ricky6981 no point kicking off, it doesn't get you anywhere, easier to say bye and move on, their loss, wouldn't go in there again

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MelissaLee1

I ordered a coffee somewhere a few years ago and they refused cash but I wasn't carrying a card so got it for free lol.I think it's good to have a choice but shouldn't be forced upon us.

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Ricky6981

MelissaLee1 this would have been right around the time we were coming out of Covid and most places including coffee shops stopped taking cash.

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MelissaLee1

Ricky6981 Sounds about right.I was caught unawares.There was no sign on the wall.I felt like the baddy.

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tumblespots

As cash is legal tender there is no way that any shop should be able to refuse payment that way.

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Ricky6981

tumblespots it’s NOT illegal for shops or businesses to refuse to accept cash. They can also refuse to accept card payments. And while cash is ‘legal tender’, this has a narrow definition that doesn’t mean businesses must accept it.

According to the Bank of England, shop owners can choose what kind of payment they take. 

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ch7leach

Personally I pay card where ever I can, I very rarely have cash on me and don't particularly like it. In the place I work I do take cash but rather card, it's more work involved in cash and more of a security problem.

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MrsCraig

I've never been told I couldn't pay with cash. I remember during the pandemic that shops said they wanted people to pay with card and I suppose some places have stayed that way. I've never had an issue though. There is a cafe that we have been to a few times in a small town about an hour from our home, it is cash only, you can't pay by card.

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eyeballkerry

I have never been refused and this should not be happening. I remember being refused paying by card as it was a low amount and companies get charged for transactions.

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jdible

Yes it's happened a few times I sometimes walk to some where else where they take cash some people are saying its a new way the government can keep a eye on you what you spend save and what you may have the old saying cash is king comes to mind there groups on Facebook to keep cash

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Andytango10

Simple answer, NO IT'S NOT RIGHT!! IF they Don't want cash don't go back!!

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jimmyD

Just boycott any shop that refuses to take money, if enough people do that they'll soon get the message.

I refuse to use a card to pay for stuff always Cash. Cash is King.

No nosy people seeing what your buying either.

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fowler1981

jimmyD card is king

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Imnotcheap

I've never been refused to pay with cash.

I rarely use cash these days not really convenient

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Mango4

I don't think it is right for stores to refuse cash,but many stores including the supermarkets are making it more difficult to pay using cash, local Morrisons only have two self scan tills set to accept cash , with at least 12 other tills set to card only , same in local Matalan only one actual till ever open and that deals with returns , click n collect and cash sales, always a long queue, whereas next to it a row of self scan card only tills. Add this to the fact that banks a are closing , cashpoints disappearing everywhere , they are making it more and more difficult to use cash.

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SaveMeSunday

I can see it getting more and more than way just a shame for elderly that still work with cash

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LL81

No way .. cash is king !!

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DazLee67

Should be illegal ..and i thought it was...its legal tender ...disgusting if they are aloud to do this ..they will loose me as a customer ,thats for sure !

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Dannycnew

I've had problems with this, but not a lot, I use cash mainly because I find it easier to manage my budget that way. But I've noticed paying in places like Wendy's, Popeyes, and some others that they have no option but to pay by card. Also, cash machines can be far between in some places, so I tend to use both cash and card payments if I need to.

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dwtmf9hn78

Should never be refused for trying to pay with cash,, ( bet they'll take their tip in cash)

of course the banks want us to pay contactless or by card as I believe they receive i small amount for every transaction , I’ll stand corrected if wrong..

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fowler1981

dwtmf9hn78 just bear in mind that the employees don’t own the place or set rules. So yes, the employee would take cash as a tip, but to put goods through the till the employee has zero say on the form of payment that is accepted.

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dwtmf9hn78

fowler1981 I didn’t say the employee did have a say in it, but every bus should be made to take cash

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KAW18

I think everywhere should give you the option. I pay by cash makes it easy to keep track of my money. If somewhere didn't accept money I'd walk out and go somewhere else.

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peeb1967

we’ve all seen what happens when their card machine goes down…. then they’re crying out for cash payments, perhaps they should remember this

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geoffdavis72

All the airlines Now seem to only accept cashless payments. I hate it I’m old school and like paying in hard cash. Its unfair that option has been taken away.

If in a shop on the high street at least you have the option to walk away and take your cash elsewhere to an accepting establishment.

Also the bankers are getting very rich every time an electronic transaction takes place !

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stevea808

I suppose taking card only payments will stop a lot of robberies, with no cash on the premises.

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possy

Crazy! I think both card or cash should be available for payments in every store. cash is king

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hspexy

Well, if they refuse and you walk away with the goods, will they do you for theft? Surely a bit of common sense should be used (someone should be able to take the money and pay with their card at least)

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JLouM

I think cash should still be accepted as when there are technical issues and the networks go down without cash everyone is stuck. Either that or everything has to close up until issues are resolved. So no shopping, it would be like Sundays used to be.

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HannahSunderlan

I do hate it when its card only, it seems a bit mad that places can specify that as I know a lot of older people (my grandad) use cash. He forgets his pin a lot so him taking out cash in the bank and paying with that just suits his needs better.

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wonderingsoul

I think most things are done by card these days though in my town it's normally the other way around for things like takeaways only ever cash and I don't have cash oftern as card is just more convenient for all party's most of the time

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