I've just had the most almighty row in Superdrug over 20p. Not because they over-charged me or anything, but because they refused to accept an Isle of Man 20 pence piece. I insisted it was legal tender as it's British, while they insisted they didn't take that particular coin. But this was after the girl on the cash desk called over the 14-year-old couldn't-give-a-damn manager who said 'it's an old one, we don't take them', without even looking at it.
Even when I pointed out that the design of the 20p has not changed since its inception in 1982 (or whatever) he refused to budge. And hammering home the point that it had the Queen on the back didn't much good either. I don't think he'd heard of the Isle of Man.
So I lost that one.
Moments later I managed to offload it in Pret while buying an apple. So no harm done.
But I want to know - what's the deal with non-English currency in England? It's hard enough trying to spend Jersey pound notes here, and whenever I come back from Jersey I try and change them at the airport as people 'don't get it'. And taxi drivers will just about take Scottish notes.
It's annoying to be flatly told your money is worthless.
