I also operate an anyone but BA rule and use them as the airline of last resort. There are plenty of other options out of the north and I will use them. I also know of many friends and colleagues who think the same.
BA's treatment of the regions is abismal.
On a previous point I can recall direct flights from manchester to Toronto, Montreal, Barbados, Los Angeles, Orlando and Hong Kong with BA at one time and all long gone.
I also remember the time they taled of a tie up with SN and operating a 2 hub system with flights over the atlantic operating Brussels - Manchester and onwards and flights to the Middle / far east operating Manchester - Brusssels and onwards so obviously at one time someone in BA felt their were markets for flights from the North.
Finally didnt they also promise things like Florida and Singapore from manchester when they opened T3.