10/07/2026
🚨 A wee warning to other local businesses… 🚨
Today our shop was targeted with a fake £20 note.
The woman wasn’t local. She came in, picked up the very first card she touched, handed over a fake £20 note to pay for it, took over £17 in genuine change, and left. It felt very much like the card was simply a way of turning fake money into real money.
I’ve since heard she also went into the Post Office, McFarlane’s hardware store and the Co-op, so please keep your eyes peeled if you’re accepting cash.
It’s hard enough for small independent businesses like mine to survive without people deliberately targeting us like this. It’s not just the financial loss.. (though small) it’s the fact someone walked into my shop with the intention of scamming me. If I’m honest, it almost ruined my day.
Please take a few extra seconds to check £20 notes before accepting them, and if you own or work in a local business, let your colleagues know too.
We’re all trying our best to make an honest living. It’s awful that we even have to think about things like this.
Also… just a little thank you to one of my lovely regular customers who came in shortly afterwards.
We chatted, she asked about my family (especially my son Luke), and she genuinely reminded me that for every person out there trying to take advantage, there are so many more who are kind, thoughtful and good.
I’m incredibly grateful for every one of my wonderful customers. You turned what had become a really rubbish day into a much better one. ❤️
