surface wind, not that it is really the issue here, I don't think either situation is more or less safe than the other - not to any degree that would count in the risk assessment!
caaardiff, you wouldn't have a vested interest in this would you?
Whatever. The rules actually say "No operational duty shall exceed a period of two hours without there being taken during, or at the end of, that period a break or breaks totalling not less than 30 minutes." Is it really beyond the wit of a NATS unit manager to find some way for a total of 30 mins break is taken during a 2 hour period and not for the 10 minutes around the estimate for the inbound? I guess the only alternative explanation is that the controller is just trying to be difficult or something similar.
On the other hand, isn't this a crazy situation for an aerodrome that is promulgated as H24. And as I don't see any NOTAMs warning of no ATC available I presume it won't happen again.....otherwise it could really make a mess of one's incredibly efficient fuel planning!