Go to the USA to train, its cheaper and quicker due to the weather. The pilots that I know in the industry have all trained in the States and the airlines have had no problems with employing them.
Also look in to New Zealand, Australia or South Africa, these are alternatives that offer training cheaper, but the airspace is similar to ours, so it wont be as hard to convert when you return.
Can't remember where I read it, think it was Flight International, it said 70% of all UK pilots have completed some or the majority of the training in the USA, if thats true it cant be bad training over there.
Just make sure you get quality training when your there, dont go for the cheapest, there are many bad schools there, just the same as there are many bad schools in the UK.
I know of one airline that turns their noses up at IR's gained in Spain, so i'd try to do the full or the conversion IR in the UK or Ireland.