The C172 G-AYRG you refer to belonged to Bill Robinson
. He came up the hard way to become a pilot. PPL, instructor, parachute pilot, eventually CPL. He made the beach work, as a car salesman he could sell. So he went round the local schools selling them a deal to fly in the week when it was quiet.
When he left Southport Beach he and I joined Janes, he flew a Shorts 330, I flew in a DC3 G-AMPZ (sold to Air Atlantique), Bill stayed with Janes which became Emerald Airways.