Keeping it Simple
Thanks for the replies everyone.
Piston Twin and Captain Marvellous you are correct of course, a brain fade on my part - I wanted to exclude the possibility of changing category to VFR as an answer...
Slice, that's what I reckon as well.
Chimbu, I strongly agree, your reply reeks of common sense. especially KISS! My original post was anything but simple.
Scrap the scenario and replace it with this question:
Can anyone give me a reason why one cannot apply VFR procedures to IFR flight in VMC at night?