Wee Jock
I argued that the proposed station grading exercise which is taking place within NATS was not the threat to the LARS service at Farnborough as suggested by Spangly.
I suggested and believe fervently that the threat to the LARS service at Farnborough and everywhere else comes from the level of funding which is offered to provide the service.
IMHO Farnborough is getting very close to the point (although perhaps not using DAP's calculation) where the amount of IFR traffic operating into and out of Farnborough dictates that some form of Controlled Airspace should be provided between the base of the TMA and the ATZ. When that time comes, unless the LARS funding formula changes significantly, I suspect NATS in common with many other units will choose not to offer that service but concentrate on providing the service to traffic operating into and out of Farnborough as well as fulfilling it's obligations with regard to allowing free access to it's newly established airspace for all other airspace users.
I am perfectly confident that TAG or NATS do not need me to identify to them the realities of growing the business and pitiful way that the LARS service is funded at present. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION!