Brize Radar
Departing Oxford IFR this afternoon (Saturday) I called Brize on 124.275 requesting a radar service. I was asked my flight conditions, which were IMC. After a few moments I was given a squawk, which I read back, adding that we had emerged into good VMC on top. Brize immediately terminated the service and suggested that I call London Information. When I asked for confirmation that a RIS was not available, the controller replied that, "as published", it was not but that when I'd said I was in IMC he'd made an exception. The refusal was firm but perfectly courteous.
I can't find anything to suggest that Brize should not have been available for a radar service for all traffic this afternoon, and this doesn't tally with my previous experience of Brize who, workload permitting, have always offered a service. The AIP says its LARS is H24, and I can't see anything NOTAMed. What's going on?