Aldi and McDonalds refusing to accept old £1 coins

High street store – REFUSED 

Shoppers this weekend might face difficultly  – as we witnessed when we were forced to battle with a shop assistant at a H&M store.

At the high street chain in High Street Kensington we were told ‘head office’ had told workers to refuse the coin.

We were told ‘they don’t take it [the coin] anymore’. However, when our shopper attempted to explain the old £1 could still be used, the assistant replied: ‘I’m telling you, they old us from head office that we’re not allowed to take them.’

The staff member eventually phoned her manager who advised her to accept to old coin, but ‘for the last time’. 

Shoppers this weekend might face difficultly – after we were forced to battle with a shop assistant at a H&M store (pictured)

Payphones – REFUSED

We tried to use an old £1 coin at a payphone in Notting Hill Gate, west London. 

Despite two attempts, the machine rejected the coin.

A MailOnline investigation conducted in March found phone boxes in the capital were not actually accepting the new £1 coins either. 

So while this is unlikely to be an issue for those with mobiles, it could prove problematic for anyone without a phone to hand who needs to make an urgent call.  

MailOnline investigations have found phone boxes – many of which have been modernised – accept neither the old pound coins, or the new ones 

Underground stations – REFUSED

Transport bosses in London are working to upgrade self-service ticket machines to accept the new 12-sided coins which became legal tender in March. 

We tried – and failed – to use the old £1 at Notting Hill tube station in London, where there were signs warning commuters they could only use new coins – days before the cut-off date.   

Transport for London (TfL) is updating 27 machines across 22 Overground stations, although these stations already have at least one machine taking the new coins.

Rail firms have had to convert or replace 2,500 ticket machines. TfL has had to modify or replace about 1,000 machines at Tube stations. 

Transport bosses in London are working to upgrade self-service ticket machines to accept the new 12-sided coins which became legal tender in March

Transport bosses in London are working to upgrade self-service ticket machines to accept the new 12-sided coins which became legal tender in March

We tried – and failed – to use the old £1 at Notting Hill tube station in London, where there were signs warning commuters they could only use new coins – days before the cut-off date

Supermarkets – ACCEPTED 

Tesco said it will accept the round £1 for at least an extra week, and Poundland will take old £1 coins in more than 800 stores until the end of the month. 

A self-checkout at a Tesco Metro store in Notting Hill Gate accepted the coin, and staff are advising shoppers they can continue to use the old £1 until next week. 

Sainsbury’s and Tesco have admitted they still had not modified all their trolleys to accept the new 12-sided coin.

However, many supermarkets have confirmed that as of the 15 October, their trolleys will be accepting both the new and old £1 coins.

Aldi have also said that they will still accept the old coin for a bit longer.

Tesco and Aldi said they will accept the round £1 for at least an extra week, while Poundland will take old £1 coins in more than 800 stores until the end of the month

Tesco and Aldi said they will accept the round £1 for at least an extra week, while Poundland will take old £1 coins in more than 800 stores until the end of the month

Sainsbury¿s and Tesco have admitted they still had not modified all their trolleys to accept the new 12-sided coin

Sainsbury’s and Tesco have admitted they still had not modified all their trolleys to accept the new 12-sided coin

Parking meters – REFUSED

Motorists travelling around the capital over coming days – perhaps for work or shopping – may struggle to park. 

Parking metes across the country are causing trouble for those pulling up with pockets of change, only to find it will not be accepted and they cannot buy a ticket.  

We tested a parking meter in Kensington, west London, which ate the coin and gave no ticket.

Thousands of parking and vending machines are not expected to be ready for the deadline, while an increasing number of businesses have pledged to ignore it.  

The British Parking Association said the cost of replacing or converting 80,000 machines will be up to £50million and some will not be ready for the deadline 

The British Parking Association said the cost of replacing or converting 80,000 machines will be up to £50million and some will not be ready for the deadline 

Fast-food outlets are continuing to accept the old £1 coins - including the KFC at Notting Hill Gate in London

Fast-food outlets are continuing to accept the old £1 coins – including the KFC at Notting Hill Gate in London

But there are still an estimated 450million pound coins in circulation ahead of the deadline, which will see shops no longer obliged to accept the old round pounds. 

Tram ticket machines have not been upgraded due to a consultation being carried out by TfL on no longer accepting cash for paper tram tickets at stops.

It said just 0.3 per cent of single tram journeys are paid for with a ticket bought from a tram stop machine – fewer than 250 tickets a day across the network. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk