Are Your Lockers Ready to Accept the New £1 Coin?

March 2017 sees the long-anticipated new 12 sided £1 coin enter circulation. The new coin is thinner and lighter than the coin it replaces, and its diameter is also slightly larger than the current £1 coin.

This means the new 12 sided £1 coin will not automatically work in all coin retain and coin return mechanisms currently in operation. Including those installed in the millions of gym lockers, school lockers, leisure centre lockers and swimming pool lockers around the nation.

Even more frustrating is the period of co-circulation from March to October when both styles of the coin will be legal tender and could possibly be used.

One option is to purchase a lock modification or conversion kit, which will allow the coin mech to work with the new 12 sided £1 coin. One such example we found on the market is manufactured for Assa Abloy locker locks, it is advertised for £14 (approx.) plus VAT and delivery. However, these modification kits can take longer to install than a new lock.

Lock manufacturers such as Assa Abloy and Lowe and Fletcher have developed and launched new retro-fit coin locks which accept either coin and are available for wet or dry areas, left and right-hand operation and with a choice of latch or sliding bolt. 

All of the retro-fit replacement locker locks Commercial Washrooms currently sell accept coin sizes that are customer selectable from Ø20mm to Ø30mm max, with a 3.2mm maximum thickness.

This ensures the replacement locks operate with a comprehensive range of coins, including the old and new One pound coins and even similar sized tokens thus encouraging users to return the locker key.

These new replacement dual coins retain and return locker locks are only a fraction more expensive than the modification kits available. But could crucially for business operators be faster to install and switch over than a modification kit. One such expert working in the locker manufacturing industry who we spoke to said that a two-man team could feasibly install 200 new locks per working day.

This style lock is also standard equipment on many new lockers sold today, so the third but most expensive option would be to replace all the lockers within your establishment. This would probably only be a viable option if such works already fell within a planned washroom refurbishment or changing room refurbishment program.

If you would like further advice on how to ensure your leisure lockers can still be used without inconvenience to business patrons after March 2017, feel free to call our team on 01202 650 900 or e-mail [email protected]