Broomstick
Much like you, in 2001 I renewed a long-expired UK PPL, which I had first obtained in 1966.
This was just about a year after the JAA PPL was introduced. I had to do refresher training, sit all exams and complete a flight test. At the end they gave me a JAA PPL. At the time, I was told they were no longer issuing bog standard UK PPLs (Note: this was before the NPPL).
GB