The IMCR is not dead - there are 4 years to run and there is a chance that some grandfather solution will be found then.
I said "IMCR training" and sadly this is supported by the IMCR award figures published in Flight Training News. The awards are down a factor of 3 on a few years ago.
I have no idea why the drop in training - is the UK GA flying / pilot profile changing that much, are people really abandoning the IFR certified spamcan scene, are some/many schools not promoting it, whatever? It certainly isn't due to the recent EASA inspired situation; the decline is almost linear from much further back.