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Scots shops 'should accept euro' Salmond in call for euro rethink
(about 7 hours later)
Foreign tourists should be able to spend euros in Scotland's shops, pubs and restaurants, an MSP has claimed. The Scottish first minister has said the time is right to look again at the option of the UK adopting the euro.
SNP MSP Willie Coffey said the move would make life easier for visitors attending the Homecoming celebrations. Alex Salmond claimed there was a strong argument in favour of the euro, particularly as sterling declines.
Historic Scotland sites including Edinburgh Castle already accept the euro as payment. He said that in the short term, shops, restaurants and pubs should accept the euro from foreign tourists.
But most other businesses and tourist attractions accept only Sterling, citing banking delays and extra charges for their reluctance to take euros. And he told BBC Radio Scotland that the arguments for and against adopting the euro as the UK's currency should be re-examined.
Mr Coffey, the MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, said Homecoming - a celebration hosted by the Scottish Government to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of poet Robert Burns - would attract many thousands of extra visitors to Scotland. Mr Salmond said: "I think there is a strong argument for the euro, and I think as sterling declines even further that argument is being made very strongly.
The message that Scotland is open for Euro business would be warmly received by visitors from Eurozone countries Willie Coffey MSP "Of course in the short term, businesses in Scotland should follow the example of the official government agencies like Historic Scotland and make it clear to the many European visitors we hope to welcome to Scotland for the Year of Homecoming that their currency and their money is very much accepted in the tills of Scotland."
He added: "Homecoming year will be a fantastic opportunity for Scotland to welcome the world. However, at present, few retail and tourist businesses accept other currencies, with banking delays and extra charges among the reasons. The first minister said many of the "claimed advantages" of retaining sterling as currency were now not as strong as the chancellor thought they were, and called for a reassessment.
"To make life easier for our visitors, I would encourage retailers, restaurants, shops and pubs to look at their arrangements for accepting the euro. 'Warmly welcomed'
"Accepting payments in foreign currencies is already used by Historic Scotland and common in Northern Ireland and London where customers with euro notes do not have to exchange them for Sterling in order to shop." His comments followed those of SNP MSP Willie Coffey, who said foreign tourists should be able to spend euros in Scotland's shops, pubs and restaurants to make life easier for visitors coming to the Homecoming celebrations.
Mr Coffey called on banks to work with the retail and tourist sectors to help them improve their capacity for trading in the euro. Homecoming events are being hosted by the Scottish Government to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of poet Robert Burns.
"The message that Scotland is open for Euro business would be warmly received by visitors from Eurozone countries and by many others for whom Scotland will be one stop in a wider European trip", he added. Mr Coffey, the MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, called on banks to work with the retail and tourist sectors to help them improve their capacity for trading in the euro.
"The message that Scotland is open for euro business would be warmly received by visitors from eurozone countries and by many others for whom Scotland will be one stop in a wider European trip", he added.