A SURVEY has shown that a fifth of independent retailers across the west will be accepting euros from next week.

But in Chippenham, trade across the tills will stick to the pound as usual.

The new currency is to be introduced in 12 of 15 European countries from January 1.

The euro is worth about 60p and the pound equals about 1.6 euros.

The Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce has carried out a survey of 80 independent and national retailers.

A total of 20.5 per cent of independent stores said they would be accepting the new currency.

But of the national outlets that responded, none had made provision to accept the euro.

In Chippenham, managers at Boots, Dixons, Woolworths and Dorothy Perkins said they had heard nothing about accepting the euro, and would therefore continue to use the pound.

Lee Chambers, the deputy manager of Dixons in Emery Gate shopping centre, said: "We have received no information about the euro and for the time being we will not be operating them.

"Nothing has come through from central office and if one store in the UK was using the euro then it would be the same for all of us."

Stephen Moore, the manager of Boots in Chippenham High Street, said: "We have received no information and as far as we are concerned we are not involved in the euro."

Tracey Jefferys, the manager of Dorothy Perkins, in Emery Gate shopping centre said the shop would not be accepting euros in the foreseeable future.

"As far as I am aware the only stores that will be using the euro are those at the airports near London or our stores in the city," she said.

The chamber of commerce survey also showed that 66 per cent of independent retailers would not be accepting the euro.

A further 13.5 per cent did not know.

Of the national outlets, 76 per cent said that they would not be using the euro and 23.5 per cent did not know.

Michael Williams, the chief executive of the Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce, said he was not surprised by the results.

"It was interesting that of the positive responses, they were all from the independent sector," said Mr Williams.

A survey conducted by Thomas Cook concluded that most British holidaymakers did not feel prepared to take the new currency abroad.

dvaller@newswilts.co.uk