So, in summary: use your card or phone for 95% of things. Keep a few £5 and £10 notes in your back pocket for that stubborn market stall or the cash-only kebab shop at 2am. And for the love of all that is holy, watch out for the 20p coin in that pile of pocket lint.
One last anecdote: a friend once paid for a £3.70 coffee with a £20 note. The barista stared at it like it was a relic, then counted out change that filled his entire palm. He walked away with a coffee and the weight of sixteen coins in his pocket. It felt like a workout. That’s London money—both ancient and modern, and always a little bit heavier than you expect.
