can you use euros in London?
 

I have some euros (in change) left from my trip to Paris and I am going to London next month. Can I use them there - or do they only use pounds?

thanks

Pounds only

jmp-you might just go to a bank and get pounds for your euros once you are in London.
Sort of like trying to spend them in the US- when our currency is the US$ :)

If it's change only, you will have to wait till you go back to Euro country, as no bank that I know of, exchanges coins.

When I leave my hotel, I gather my change and ask them to turn it into bills to the extent possible. I hold out a couple of coins for the last tip to the hotel doorman or to an airport porter.
If I haven't spent the leftover coins by the time I get to the airport, there are often charity (UNICEF, I think) collection boxes in central locations that will put odd coins to good use.

If it is coins - and you are not going to a euro-zone country any time soon - give it to the flight attendants on your way over. Most Airlines collect odd change for charity.

If it is notes - you can exchange it at any bank in London - Or a few places such as Harrods will take foreign currency.

I'm in London now and have been surprised by the number of places that display signs saying, "euro accepted". Of course, those places are mainly near the tourist center and no one is making it clear what the rate of exchange is -- but I can guarantee you without checking that it is indeed very high!!!!

In the same manner some businesses in Canada accept US dollars for the "cnvenience" of their custmers, some merchants in London accept Euro (note the proper plural spelling) as a "convenience" to their customers. What is left unsaid, of course, is what sort of a rip off rate they want to use as the Euro is not legal tender in London. Some of the big department stores accept Euro for payments as a matter of course, but the same stores also accept US, Canadian, Australian, Singapore dollars, Japanese Yen (note the proper plural spelling) and Swiss Francs.

So the answer to your original question is yes but note the information above.

Basically its notes only and you get all your change in £. Most of the shops and restaurants around Oxford St and Covent Garden except the Euro.

I change my left over Euros into chocolate at the airport.

Keith

Good idea, and a great way to put it, Keith!

Some shops in London accept Euros. For instance the European cafe at the bottom of Regent Street (near Picadilly) accepts Euros but gives you change in pounds (not the best exchange rate).

Can we use euros or pounds in New York?

Quick follow up to Keith's posting, I had a layover of several hours at Heathrow recently, with only euros and dollars in cash. The duty free shops were more than happy to take the remainder of my euros, and put the rest of the bill on my credit card.

Most of the shops at Heathrow will accept euros, I understand, but give you change in pounds.