The Olde White Rose, Bilston

I was recommended the Olde White Rose as a great pub for beer and food as I was attending a gig at the Robin 2. My first impressions were favourable, nothing fancy, just a straight forward pub. I ordered a pint of lager, keenly priced at �2.40 and relaxed in the homely surroundings.
I decided I liked the pub and went to the bar to order food and another drink. As I tried to pay I was told that they could not accept Scottish bank notes, having travelled from the west of Scotland it was all I had. I explained to the barmaid that Scottish notes were also pounds Sterling and no different from English ones. She said it was the boss who had stipulated that she could not accept Scottish notes.
Scottish notes are widely accepted all over the UK and this was the first time I had encountered this in years. As a point of law it is true that Scottish notes are not "legal tender" in either Scotland or England, it is also the case that English notes are not "legal tender" in Scotland or anywhere else but England.
In Scotland we would never refuse your English "not legal tender" notes so why should Scots have to put up with this English sectarianism.
I am extremely disappointed in this pub and everywhere else around Bilston my Scottish notes were welcomed without a second glance. Maybe time this pub dragged itself out of the dark ages!!

12 Dec 2007 14:13