JohnR81
I have had exactly the same ludicrous experience at Humberside, I didn't even want to go airside but that's where something they needed me to do was, can't remember if it was landing fees or credit card payment or signing something but it was ludicrous. Exactly the same 'squeeze through here , now you need to be metal detected to go where we saw you come from 10 seconds ago' and that was three years ago, good to see things have improved since.
I doubt the airport managers know or care about these ridiculous things that go on, if they did you would think they'd do something about it.
ATC were nice though !
Gary