Not so, yawningdog...
7 (1) Within the United Kingdom an aircraft shall not carry out instrument approach practice
when flying in Visual Meteorological Conditions unless:
(a) the appropriate air traffic control unit has previously been informed that the flight is
to be made for the purpose of instrument approach practice; and
(b) if the flight is not being carried out in simulated instrument flight conditions, a
competent observer is carried in such a position in the aircraft that he has an
adequate field of vision and can readily communicate with the pilot flying the aircraft.
You are confusing this with the rules for 'view-limiting devices', which I never mentioned...
Thanks, Chilli - that's what I suspected. I wasn't planning on foggles &c.
Tim