I've been looking around for 3 years and yet to find a group I was prepared to invest in, though doing a tailwheel conversion opened up a lot more inexpensive options for me, it's not really what you are looking for.
There is one other way of going about this.
If you know what airplane you are looking for, what YOUR requirements are and what YOU want to do, you may well put together a project with a specific airplane in mind (they don't sell that fast today) and then look for people who might want to share or simply buy hours of you. I don't know if the latter is legal in the UK, it is here, as long as you don't make a profit, and heaven knows, not too many who rent airplanes commercially do today
That is how it worked out for me. The flight school which owned mine wanted to orient themselfs differently, the Mooney did not fit their profile at all. So they sold it, but had some pilots who had done the conversion and wanted to continue flying. Right now, I have about 5 active pilots on the airplane, who are invited to fly when I don't need the plane. That arrangement fits perfectly, as it produces hours to reach the 100 hrs/year minimum target, therefore helps with the costs without the problems of a group where everyone is equal. If someone were to misbehave, easy (has not ever happened, but that is it). If I do need the airplane, my apologies but it's mine, so go fly another day. So far, that has worked really well.
I own my house, but it would be cheaper to live in a shared flat.
I don't wake up every morning and think 'I would have to live another 50 years to make those mortgage repayments economical', so I don't really question owning my house.
Good analogy. Nobody would suggest you should live in a shared flat, share your automobile or other possessions. It is however symptomatic for the climate in GA these days that outright ownership of an aircraft today is regarded by many as an "unnecessary luxury". So what? In today's envy loaded environment, people have to have the nerve to get over this. Far too many potential owners let themselfs be bullied into submissions by Monday Morning Quarterbacks in the flying pub who will shy away of nothing to make sure that you don't get what they couldn't because their spouses put their foot down and said no!
It is amazing to me how "reasonable" and "logical" people get when it comes to buying airplanes, when they would not waste a 2nd thought at spilling out far more money for other things "everyone" has.... Make your calculations, as you would with a house, a car or a flat, and if it works out for you, then DO IT or end up like many of those old and bitter folks who will never do as much as a trip to Brighton.