t isn't hard for a bunch of keen PPLs to form a group around a decent plane, and even perhaps rent it out (to very carefully picked people) on top of that. One can get something pretty good for say £80k, and with 10 members that's "just" £8k each.
Yes it is, we've tried, in the 'affulent' South-East too.
I'm surprised that no Club/School operator has made an input to this thread.