NATS politics and management
I'm not acquainted with NATS management style yet so can't comment about how abrupt perhaps they have been.
I can though comment on Prestwick and Ayr. I live in Glasgow, I have lived in Manchester. I liked Manchester but I think Glasgow is a bigger, bustlier city where more goes on. I'm not just being bias as a Scot.
If the Manc controllers want the city life they won't be disappointed by Glasgow(second best place to shop in the UK after London)
As for Prestwick. I was on a date at Elliots in Prestwick last night. The place was jumping. Prestwick is an affluent town. Ayr is a nice town too. As I Glaswegian I find Ayrshire folk are a bit different generalism being they are quite parochial. (I was brought up in Ayrshire) But I find that when I'm in smaller towns in England (Bournemouth, Southampton etc)
I have colleagues at the moment who work with me in the city centre but choose to live down there(35 mins drive away). It's not that bad.
I know it must be hard to have change forced on you. Is that not sort of part of this job though.