At least retailers won't be able to say 'no' when asked 'Do you take plastic?'

Yes, I have also read reports that many of the claims made for plastic notes are straight off the manufacturers pamphlet without any actual figures to back them up...
And the current cotton-paper blend bad boys will happily survive a quick trip through a washing machine... just the one trip though... and survive is a loose definition... 

Quote from: captainelectra on May 28, 2014, 07:01:14 PM
From what I've heard, they look and feel horrible, no-one wants them and they are the result of a dodgy deal between the government and the suppliers (allegedly). 

Also being made of plastic they lose 10% of their intrinsic value.  Just another government move to devalue your currency. 
Another problem is they are more slippery so tend to slip easily from your grasp.  Never seem to accumulate enough of them.

Actually no problem with use. 

From what I've heard, they look and feel horrible, no-one wants them
Not sure who has fed you this line, but they are really good, from all angles and, no, I don't work for the Aus Mint or securency (who invented and make them).
and they are the result of a dodgy deal between the government and the suppliers (allegedly). 
cannot answer for UK, but not the case in Aus or even most other countries as far as I know - although there was a bit of funny business in Vietnam!
cheers, Bill.

When I first got to Australia, I didn't like them preferring the much more detail in US notes. After a short while, I came to appreciate them for a lot of reasons mostly durability and safety. They are extremely hard to counterfeit.

As to intrinsic value, a $50 note that costs a 10c piece to produce makes a mockery of that notion. Banknotes really have no intrinsic value at all anyway.

I got used to them. A funny story though. A friend of mine didn't like how wrinkled his $5 note was so he took an iron to it and made an instant key chain tag from it. No kidding. Then, thinking it was just too hot, tried a second one. If I hadn't been there when he did it, I would not believe it. No amount of arm waving could stop him. It all happened too fast.

I nearly spilled my beer.

Ours come in pretty colours. 

Quote from: Sprintex on May 28, 2014, 04:57:52 AM
.................... I was quite impressed by them (as well as 'imprest' - sorry, accountant joke ).......

I saw what you did there