Unfortunately some ATC units like to live in the past. I found a similar attitude at Coventry years ago before their recent problems. I had an aircraft positioning from Farnborough to Coventry, and when I tried to hand it over I was told 'can't take a handover 'cos the radar controller is in the tower, but put it over and he MIGHT go down (to radar) and look at it'!
I handed it over to Brimingham instead no problem.