SUNDAY marks the last day you can legally spend the round £1 coins before they’re replaced by the new 12-sided version.
Since the new £1 coin entered circulation on 28th March businesses and consumers all over the North have had to adapt ahead of the old round £1 coin being phased out this weekend.
Yet despite having the six-month lead-in period, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has admitted that changes to lockers in the Lakeland Forum won’t be implemented in time. Customers will still have to swap new pound coins for the older version in order to access its storage facilities.
A council spokesman told the Herald: “Fermanagh Lakeland Forum is replacing the locker barrels. While this is partly because of the new £1 coin, there is also a significant element of wear and tear which would have necessitated the replacement of the barrels in the near future anyway. The council will be seeking quotations to carry out the conversion work.”
The council have already converted 34 car park ‘pay and display’ machines throughout the district at a cost of £7,61021 net of VAT back in April to adhere to the coin change.
Customers will be given a grace period in some local businesses to dispense with their old coins. Fintan O’Doherty of O’Doherty’s Fine Meats in Enniskillen says they will still be accepting all new and old pound coins for the foreseeable future.
“As far as we are aware the banks and post offices will still exchange the old coins until further notice so we won’t refuse them. We’ll still be happy to see people coming in and spending with the old coins as much as we’re happy to see customers with their euro coins,” he said.
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