Verified answer

Sadly, and frustratingly, shops are perfectly within their rights to refuse to accept a £50 note as method of payment. A lot of shops will refuse it, due to a fear of forgeries. In particular, smaller shops such as newsagents and chemists, will be sceptical about taking a £50 note. Whilst the notes are legal tender, this is a very narrow term which does not govern acceptability. Rather, it is only used in the payment (or non-payment) of a debt, and it only applies in England and Wales.

There's no certainty with this, I'm afraid. My advice would be to try and spend it in a larger establishment, such as a supermarket or electrical store. These places regularly deal in large sums of money, and will get £50 notes (and Scottish £100 notes) in fairly frequently. In supermarkets in particular, I would advise letting your cashier know at the start of the transaction as they may need/want their supervisor to double check the note for them. This is standard procedure in many supermarkets.

If you are going to spend the note, I would also suggest that you buy something substantial with it, such as putting it towards your weekly shop. Trying to spend it on very small transactions only serves to arouse suspicion and will leave you with a lot of change.

If you really are struggling to spend them, you can always change it at your bank for 2 twenties and a tenner, or simply pay it into your bank account. But you shouldn't have a problem at a supermarket, or any other larger store.

It is up to the shop weather or not to accept a £50 note. The reason a lot of shops will not take them is there are a lot of good fakes of £50 notes in circulation. It is not illegal not to accept them.

Domino's Pizza don't take them. They have a notice to that effect.....no Cheques, £100 notes or £50 notes.

It's illegal not to accept a £50 Bank of England note, it's legal tender, says so on the note itself.

If however you are talking about notes issued say by Scottish or Northern Ireland banks; these are not legal tender and do not have to be accepted.

EDIT: Umm, perhaps I got it wrong

The term legal tender does not in itself govern the acceptability of banknotes in transactions. Whether or not notes have legal tender status, their acceptability as a means of payment is essentially a matter for agreement between the parties involved. (BoE)

Smaller shops may not.

Best to buy a meal with it - that way they've already given you the goods and can't argue much about payment when the only other option is not to get paid

:)

ASDA refuse to take sir j Houblon £ 50 note.

Some places may not because there is the risk of forgery or the store may not have enough change to give back to you.

The Pound Shop. They only take pounds.

The buses.