the bank gave me only GBP 50's claiming that was all they had. Afterwards, someone told me that 50's are not welcome in England because people are afraid they are counterfeit. Is this true??

you can always change them at a bank if you find problems

next time use your atm card at London airports atms and the zillions everywhere and save tons of money with a much better exchange rate and lower fees.

Yes it's true that a lot of places won't take them. This is because of forgeries. £50 can make a hell of a dent on a days profits for some businesses.

Having said that you can change them at the banks.

You can easily change them at banks, but yes not a lot of places accept them, betting shops do (i used to work in one) and most staff there are happy to give change. They are also open longer then banks.

As someone who lives in Britain, I can say that I barely know what a £50 note looks like. Cash machines usually dispense £20s and £10s.

I have to mention that as I reached in my wallet to get money to pay for my morning coffee at a Pret a Manger this summer, I realized all I had was a 50 pound note. I hesitated as I held it up, and the clerk took it, made change and didn't bat an eye. My bill was what -- 1.29 or so?
Maybe not usual, but it sure didn't phase him.

Oh - please tell us you don't have more than 2 or 3 of those £50 notes . . . .

Or did you buy a LOT of £ at home? If so, it is too late to help you but for others - don't buy many (or any) £/€ ahead of time. Just use your ATM card to get cash after you are in the UK.

But - yes you will find many places that will take the notes, but also many that won't. The others gave good info - if a merchant won't take one, break them in a bank.

We have a retail business and see millions of pounds pass through our hands - to date we have seen ONE 50 pound note - presented by a Japanese tourist who apparently had a bundle of them - the member of staff concerned who accepted it was swiftly corrected.

We do not like 50 pound notes due to the risk - they are simply not common currency in many areas.

I can't comment on the 50 note, but can on a 50 Euro bill/note (whatever it's called-may even be the same thing), but I just returned from traveling a few countries in Europe. I had no problem using ATM's to withdraw money. Every withdrawal except one, I got all 50's. When I tried to use them, I was met with some unhappy glares. Mostly in Italy. I'm guessing they prefer to deal w/ the coins or small bills. So long story short, I tried to make change where I could just so that I wouldn't get the dreaded look when purchasing something.

jkve2

It is true that at times from an ATM machine, you will get the larger bills and what I have always done is get at least one of them changed a day at my hotel desk, they are glad to accomodate. Have a great trip. Halfpint

50E note is very common - hardly ever see 50 quid notes

Hmmmm...I think I'm going back to my bank tomorrow to get some smaller notes! When they gave me the pounds the teller said that "was all they had".

Java2Hot: Where are you -- what country?? If they said they only had £50 notes that's likely all they had. If in the USA for instance - banks don't just have a lots of £ laying around.

jkve2: The way to avoid that is to withdraw an amount that is not divisable by 50. If you w/d €340 or €220 etc., the machine will have to dispense some smaller notes.

I have used 50-pound notes successfully. The supermarkets are the best place, probably.

Harrod's is good

I've heard, although no cite to back this up, that the paranoia about forged £50s is overblown, and that specifically because it's so hard to use them anywhere except places such as banks, counterfeits are very hard to get into circulation in large numbers. The £20 is a much bigger target for forgeries, because it's still of high value, but accepted without question.

Prior to our UK trip I got pounds at my bank here in Stuttgart and they also gave me mostly 50s. We were driving, so of course the very first thing we had to do was pay for a parking meter that only accepted coins. I had to break one of the bills on an ice cream cone. So I'd suggest getting your hands on some coins before you leave.

It was frustrating walking around with the equivalent of $100 bills but I just tried to break them on meals or when I made a larger purchase. They were never refused.

A couple of years ago there was a big problem with forged £50.

New notes came out recently so there are fewer forgeries about but the paranoia remains.

If your bank won't change them change them at the first bank you see in the UK.

Hang on to those large denomination notes...they are increasing in value. How much has a 50 Euro note appreciated in the last year? Perhaps todays visitor should stock up on local currency for next year's trip.