Happily I passed the IMC skills test on Saturday & am now banging on with a night qual before the evenings get too light.
The suggestion of visiting the PLD take away office sounds like a good one & with a window of opportunity opening for me during which I can, before 8th April, get my 5 year licence renewal, have the IMC rating added, hand in my 2 year reval by experience form, possibly have the night restriction lifted & avoid being a guinea pig for the EASA changes I think I'll go for it.
Thanks for the input all.