Shop’s all change as £1 notes crusader cashes up
Over the years Scotland’s distinctive green pound notes have become increasingly scarce – and now look set to be even more so.
for shopkeeper Ronnie Kerr, who has championed their use for the past 30 years, is set to retire.
Since opening hardware shop Screw It in callander, Perthshire, in the 1980s, Mr Kerr has given his customers change in Scotland’s old-style green paper money – determinedly defying fiscal fashion.
He loves Scottish currency so much he’d rather lose a sale than hand out pound coins or Bank of england notes.
Mr Kerr, 69, said: ‘There’s a lot of people
‘If I don’t have the notes, I shut’
who like the note. They haven’t seen one for 20 years and they say they’ll keep it. Some even ask for more. But there’s also quite a few who refuse to take them. They assume that, because they’ve not seen one, they’re not legal currency.’
Stressing his determination to use Scottish pound notes Mr Kerr said: ‘I thought I’d lost the key to the safe this morning and thought I’d have to shut the shop. If I don’t have the notes, I shut, I’m not interested. I don’t give out pound coins or Bank of england notes.’
He added: ‘I’m proud of my country and everything about my country. I’m proud that there’s differences – we have our own education system, our own laws, our own bank notes.’
Mr Kerr orders £500 to £1,000 in Scottish pound notes from the Royal Bank of Scotland every week for customers’ change.
The father of four – who is married to Irene, 65 – said he did not know whether the new owner of the shop would continue the tradition when he takes over in the next few weeks. After his three-decade currency crusade, however, he said it was time for a change, adding: ‘Somebody else can take it up. I’m ready to retire.’ #
Some customers’ confusion about the Scottish notes’ legal status is perhaps understandable.
experts say Scots notes are technically not ‘legal tender’ – which has a very narrow technical meaning relating to debt settlement – in the uK, including Scotland.
However, they are ‘ legal currency’, which means approved by the uK Parliament.
The Royal Bank of Scotland is the only bank which continues to hand out pound notes.