You get what you pay for with everything in life and the same goes for PAT I suppose.
While I was there (well before the demise of SFT) I have learned the most important skill of a pilot while doing a CPL: waiting. At the time there where plenty of aircraft and instructors I just happened to be there when the weather was messed up for days on a row. Which is one of the problems of flying in the UK...
When I left there was a brief problem when there where too many CPL students at one time. But this had three reasons, the above mentioned delay in arrival of the second sierra, bad weather and some people who had failed and thus stayed longer than scheduled.
As far as bumping up prices I do think that Cheshire Cat works for BFC <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
As far as doing the IR at PAT goes: excellent! Believe me they do not spend your money on the building but mainly on the instuctors and the aircraft! And that is what you want, no hourbuilding instructors but all very professional career instructors, three of them are CAA examiners as well which is quite helpful.
Sorry to learn Steve is leaving, wish him all the best as he is, as mentioned above, an excellent instructor on the Sim. If you read this Steve I hope you have sorted your medical and fly the beautiful prop tristars again soon!!